Motorists to get email, text messages on violations

Motorists who violate traffic rules may soon be notified through email and text messages.

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and the Land Transportation Office (LTO) forged on Wednesday a partnership to enhance data-sharing capacities to enforce a no-contact apprehension program.

The agreement will establish the LTO-MMDA system interconnectivity project to provide the MMDA real-time access to LTO records, which contain driver’s licenses, vehicle registrations, and vehicle safety inspection records – particularly about motorists violating traffic rules as captured by surveillance cameras through no-contact apprehension.

Traffic offenders would then be notified by MMDA through text message or email before they receive printed copies detailing their apprehension.

“This will allow the MMDA to more swiftly determine the ownership and address of vehicle owners caught by its no-contact apprehension system, so the parties involved can be informed and their violations settled,” said MMDA Chairman Romando Artes.

He added that the MMDA would inform the LTO of drivers’ traffic offenses, which would be logged into the LTO’s Land Transport Management System, which also contains data on vehicle sellers, insurance firms and records from the Government Service Insurance System and Bureau of Customs.

“With this agreement, we can quickly pinpoint drivers committing multiple traffic violations resulting in the suspension of their licenses and their mandatory training on road safety and traffic rules. Drivers with violations will also be prevented from receiving the new 10-year licenses that are now being granted by the LTO,” LTO chief Edgar Galvante said.