In a strong move underscoring the intensifying push for road safety, the Land Transportation Office (LTO), under the Department of Transportation (DOTr), has issued show cause orders against vehicle owners involved in recent fatal and injurious road crashes in Quezon and Cavite.
In a statement, the LTO said it had summoned the registered owner of a truck that figured in a deadly multi-vehicle crash along Maharlika Highway in Atimonan, Quezon, on May 16. Initial reports indicate the truck driver lost control before colliding with two other vehicles. The driver died at the scene.
Separately, the agency also ordered the appearance of the owner and driver of a sedan that struck pedestrians and several vehicles in Noveleta, Cavite. The driver, a woman who claimed she lost consciousness while driving, has been slapped with a 90-day license suspension pending further investigation.
Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon emphasized that the DOTr will strictly enforce accountability among both drivers and vehicle operators in line with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to prioritize road safety.
“This is a clear signal: the DOTr will not hesitate to go after those who endanger lives on the road. Automatic license suspension during investigation will be the norm,” Dizon said.
The issuance of show cause orders marks a more aggressive use of administrative tools to penalize or suspend erring parties even before criminal or civil liability is determined—an approach that transportation experts say reflects a shift in policy from reactive enforcement to preventive regulation.
As part of broader road safety reforms, the DOTr is expected to issue further guidelines strengthening vehicle monitoring, driver fitness assessments, and accountability protocols in the transport sector.
