KEEP CALM. A video grab of the road rage incident between an SUV driver and a cyclist in Marikina City recently. The Land Transportation Office has again reminded motorists to keep calm and show respect towards fellow road users. (Photo courtesy of LTO)

MANILA – The Land Transportation Office (LTO) has again reminded motorists to keep calm and show respect towards fellow road users after another road rage incident in Marikina City that obstructed the flow of traffic in the area.

LTO chief Assistant Secretary Vigor Mendoza II warned that those involved in road rage incidents would face sanctions.

“Magsisilbing aral ito sa ating mga kababayan na mabilis ang aksyon ng LTO dito at tiyak na may kaparusahan na ipapataw kaya kailangan na kontrolin ang galit dahil wala namang mabuting idudulot ito (Let this serve as a lesson to our fellowmen that the LTO would act swiftly on these cases and there will definitely be sanctions. Control your anger, it does not serve you any good),” Mendoza said in a news release issued Thursday.

“Huwag init ng ulo ang ipakita natin habang nasa daan. Dapat nating igalang ang ating mga kapwa road users upang maiwasan itong mga paulit-ulit na road rage incidents (Keep calm while on the road. We should respect our fellow road users to prevent road rage incidents).”

The LTO issued another show cause order (SCO), this time to the registered owner of a sports utility vehicle whose driver hit a bicycle and attacked the rider in Marikina City.

The SCO was meant to determine whether the registered owner of the white Nissan Patrol was the driver of the vehicle when the incident happened.

“Parami ng parami ang mga ganitong kaso pero hindi magsasawa ang inyong LTO na aksyunan ang lahat ng ito dahil kailangan nating tiyakin na ligtas ang ating mga kalsada sa lahat ng road users (Road rage incidents are on the rise but we won’t get tired of taking action. We need to ensure that our road users are safe),” Mendoza said.

The registered owner has been directed to appear before the LTO – National Capital Region on Oct. 3 and to submit a notarized affidavit explaining why he should not be held liable for reckless driving, disregarding traffic signs, obstruction of traffic, and improper person to operate a motor vehicle.

The SCO also indicated that the vehicle’s registration would be preventively suspended for 90 days unless resolved earlier.

The LTO said failure to appear and submit an affidavit would be construed as a waiver to be heard and that authorities would be forced to resolve the issue based on available records.

In a now-viral video, the SUV hit a bicycle along Dragon Street in Barangay San Roque recently.

The driver alighted from the vehicle at a pedestrian lane and engaged the cyclist in a fistfight, obstructing traffic flow in the area. (PNA)