LTO summons driver for stopping to help dead animal on NLEX

The Land Transportation Office (LTO) has summoned the driver of a sedan for stopping in the middle of an expressway to allow a passenger to alight and pick up a dead animal on the road.

The LTO said it issued a show cause order (SCO) against the driver for the February 26 incident along the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX), a video of which was posted on social media.

The video showed a passenger of the sedan alighting to pick up a dead animal on the controlled-access highway.

“This act, though seen by some as compassionate, posed serious risks to incoming vehicles,” the SCO read.

In a statement, the LTO said the incident may be in violation of traffic rules such as reckless driving and obstruction of traffic.

The sedan’s driver and its registered owner were both ordered to appear before the LTO Intelligence and Investigation Division (IID) on March 10 at 11 a.m. to submit a verified or sworn explanation of the incident.

The explanation should justify why the driver should not be administratively charged for the two above-mentioned offenses.

The driver should also explain why his or her driver’s license should not be suspended, revoked, or disqualified for being an improper person to operate a motor vehicle.

The LTO will implement a 90-day preventive suspension of the driver’s license once it has verified the identity of the designated driver of the sedan.

The sedan was also placed under an LTO alarm. The motorist was also told to surrender the driver’s license on the day of the hearing.

The agency warned that the respondents’ failure to appear and submit their sworn explanation would be taken as a waiver of their right to be heard.

The LTO will then resolve the case based on the available evidence. — JMA, GMA Integrated News