QC cracks down on poorly lit trikes

All Quezon City tricycle drivers should keep the passenger cab well lit at night to discourage criminals from preying on riders.

Based on a measure being pushed by Councilor Melencio Castelo Jr. of the sixth district, an erring driver would be fined P500 and his operator P1,000 should they fail to abide by the regulation.

According to Castelo, the inside of a tricycle’s passenger cab is often dark or poorly lighted, encouraging robbers to victimize riders. He stressed that if the interior of a tricycle’s passenger cab was well-lighted, BPSO (barangay public safety officers), traffic and law enforcement officers would easily be able to keep an eye on riders.

“At the same time, they will readily be suspicious of tricycles-for-hire with unlighted and/or poorly lighted interior,” Castelo added.

Under the proposed ordinance, the tricycle owner or operator will be required to install an interior lighting system while the tricycle driver will be obligated to keep it on at night.

Once approved, the local Department of Public Order and Safety will be tapped to enforce and draft the implementing rules and regulations of the ordinance.—Jeannette I. Andrade