With less than a month before the full implementation of the Motorcycle Helmet Act of 2010 in Negros Oriental, motorists here are urged to start buying the prescribed helmets in order to avoid violating the law.
Provincial officials from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) here made the appeal to the motorcycle-riding public after the Land Transportation Office (LTO) announced the full enforcement of said law on August 1.
Dumaguete LTO Chief Rolando Ramos said his office, along with deputized personnel from the Philippine National Police here, will start their roadside inspections for standard helmet use among local motorists on the said date.
The guidelines of RA 10054 states that the helmet law will be implemented on July 28.
“But since that day falls on a Saturday, I might as well (move it) to Monday, August 1, to give our motorists more time,” Ramos said.
DTI officials led by Provincial Director Javier Fortunato on Tuesday met with local helmet retailers to seek an inventory of their supply of the standard helmets.
DTI records show there are currently only 1,300 standard helmets available for sale in around 20 shops in Dumaguete City as of July 3.
There are around 20,000 motorists registered with Ramos’ district alone.
Helmet retailers are reportedly wary about increasing their stocks of the standard helmet due to the current low demand. “They are just waiting, when the demand goes up, that’s the time they will order more helmets,” said Fortunato.
The DTI provincial director said that motorists need to start purchasing the prescribed helmets now to avoid the last-minute rush buying.
“Of the total motorists registered here, we don’t know how many of them have the standard helmets already. We just assume that there are several thousand of those that need to buy helmets and there are only a few on stock right now,” said Fortunato.
Under the helmet law, motorists are required to wear either a half-face helmet with clear visor or a full-face helmet with a clear visor, according to Ramos.
Motorcycle riders who fail to wear the prescribed helmet will be penalized P1,500 for the first offense and P3,000 for the second offense. Those found wearing sub-standard helmets also face a P3,000 fine.
During random roadside inspections, enforcers will look for the Import Commodity Clearance (ICC) sticker which DTI affixes at the back of helmets that passed their inspection.
Dr. Angeline Gonzalez of DTI told media that that motorcycle owners with helmets that do not yet have an ICC mark should bring their head gear to the DTI office, along with a photocopy of their driver’s license.
“We will inspect them for traces of dents or impact marks because helmets that already encountered impact are not assured to be safe,” said Gonzalez, adding that once the helmets pass their inspection, the ICC sticker bearing a colored hologram with unique security features will be affixed at the back.
Helmets will also be inspected for telltale signs of tampering. “We will not issue (an ICC sticker) for helmets that show traces of tampering using solvents or any fuel to remove labels because these will diminish the durability of the (helmet’s) outer shell,” added Gonzales.
Motorists who are about to buy helmets are advised to purchase only those bearing the ICC sticker. (RMN-PIA7 Negros Oriental)
