Motorists who hate wearing crash helmets may have reason to celebrate after the Department of Transportation & Communications directed the Land Transportation Office Friday to defer enforcement of the motorcycle Helmet Act of 2009 to January 2013.
The decision to defer was in line with the Department of Trade & Industry’s request to give them more time to inspect all the helmets that are coming into the country. DTI wants to ensure that all the helmets bear the Import Commodity Clearance seal issued by the Bureau of Products Standard.
DTI requested to give them until the end of the year to complete inspection before the Helmet Law and its IRR is enforced nationwide. “We want to ensure the orderly implementation of the Helmet Law with the safety of the riding public as our foremost objective,” Secretary of Transportation and Communications Mar Roxas said.
The DOTC directed the LTO to instruct its enforcers to issue reminders to motorcycle drivers of the issue starting August 1 until the end of the year. In cooperation with other pertinent government and private agencies and organizations, the LTO will conduct an aggressive public information and education campaign on the matter.
During the period covered, no punitive measures such as the issuance of citation tickets shall be implemented.
From Jan. 1, 2013, motorcycle drivers caught driving without a protective helmet bearing the ICC seal will be issued citation tickets and penalized as stated in Helmet Act of 2009.
The IRR of the Helmet Law was stipulated in the joint administrative order crafted by the DOTC and DTI, requiring motorcycle drivers and riders to use protective motorcycle helmets with PS and ICC seals.
The order was originally for implementation on Aug. 1.
The JAO also penalizes motorcycle dealers who don’t comply with DTI to produce or sell sub-standard helmets and not bearing the Philippine Standard mark or ICC seal, including those who tamper and forge the PS or ICC marks. (PR)
