Another senseless death at SLEX

[hagiber]

1 dead, 4 hurt in field trip mishap
By Edu Punay
The Philippine Star 10/01/2004

A 32-year-old driver was killed while at least four grade school students were hurt when their service van was hit by a 16-wheeler truck on the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) in Parañaque City yesterday.

The group was going to Manila for an educational trip from Labo, Camarines Norte on board a Hyundai Grace van (EVG-999) when Roberto Mago, the driver, pulled over to the service lane to replace a flat tire at around 4:30 a.m.

PO3 Arthur Cortez of the Traffic Management Group said Mago had just finished changing the front left tire and about to start the van when a speeding delivery truck (UCP-110) suddenly rammed their vehicle and dragged it some five meters to the gutter.

Mago was decapitated.

"Naputol ’yung ulo at nabasag pa ’yung mukha," Cortez said.

Four of the students inside the van sustained injuries and were rushed to the Makati Medical Center. Police identified them as Rowena Samonte, Nida Nareses, Cristel Alforte and Edna de Jesus.

The incident also caused heavy traffic at the SLEX for more than an hour.

Probers said there were more passengers inside the van and may have been rushed to another hospital.

"When we arrived at the area, the students were no longer there," Cortez said.

He said the truck driver, identified by a companion as Bienvenido Sitasato of the Caloocan-based PNJ Distribution System, fled on foot after the incident.

The companion, Felicisimo Rapas, was invited to the traffic police office for questioning. He told investigators that he was also shocked by the incident, which had awakened him from his sleep.

Police advised motorists using the highway to take extra precaution when encountering engine trouble.

"Mabibilis talaga ang sasakyan dito kaya pagnasiraan ka, kailangan listo ka," Cortez said.

[1D4LV]

yup, nakita ko kahapon yan "fresh". hinihila yung bangkay nung driver sa van.

nakakapanlumo ang sight.

[the_wildthing]

Stupid truck driver! Nasa service lane na nga yung van at may EWD pa daw.

[greenlyt]

Yan ba yun nakabalandra na Trailer Truck kahapon? Wala na yun Grace Van ng dumaan ako kahapon...

[pissword]

kaya masmaganda yata magpalit ka ng tire sa middle eh masyadong delikado sa shoulder

[GlennSter]

eh san ka na pala ngayon magpapalit ng gulong pag na flattan!?!?!

tssssssss...

MAGING LISTO PAG NASIRAAN!?!

PANO MO MAGAGAWA YUN!?

pag nakita mong may truck na parating..."AY MAY MTRUCK!!LISTO AKO KAYA BUBUHATIN KO ANG SASAKYAN KO PARA DI AKO MAGANGGA AT MAPUTULAN NG ULO!"

[HBOY]

ogag nga yung remark nung Cortez na yun.. imbes na sabihin nya yun.. ang dapat nyang sbaihin.. HUWAG GAMITIN ANG SHOULDER FOR OVERTAKING!.. bopols!!

[alex manalo]

what's sad about this story perosnally for me, hindi jn natapos yung istorya

nagtraffic sa baba kaya yung iba e nag sky way na lang, including one of my officemate. naaksidente rin cla, nawalan ng control yung kotse nila, bumangga doon sa isa sa mga cementong harang, then nagroll yung car. yung driver is yung kuya ng officemate ko, walang gaanong nangyari sa kanya. yung officemate ko sa passenger side, lumabas na sa operating room ng makati med yesterday... medyo malaki yung injury sa right hand.

ang buhay nga naman...

[hagiber]

Sorry to hear about that... what can be done to minimize these kinds of accidents ?

Kung lagyan kaya nang minihumps every 100 meters sa shoulder nang SLEX ? Makakatulong kaya yan ?

[Kicker15]

dapat taasan na nila yung fine sa overtaking sa shoulder

[greenlyt]

I've been passing sa SLEX for so many years na, ang napapansin ko kaya may nago-overtake sa shoulder kasi yun fast lane may dumadaan dun na sobrang bagal, ayaw gamitin yun middle lane, siguro bukod sa paghuli sa pagovertake sa shoulder hulihin din nila yun mga sasakyan na nag-stay sa fast lane, para may madaanan yun mga mabibilis.

[baiskee]

napapansin ko nga..dumadami mga naaaksidente ngayon. tsk..tsk.. ingat na lang tayo dami pa rin nagkalat na g*gong tsuper.

[niky]

Originally posted by greenlyt
I've been passing sa SLEX for so many years na, ang napapansin ko kaya may nago-overtake sa shoulder kasi yun fast lane may dumadaan dun na sobrang bagal, ayaw gamitin yun middle lane, siguro bukod sa paghuli sa pagovertake sa shoulder hulihin din nila yun mga sasakyan na nag-stay sa fast lane, para may madaanan yun mga mabibilis.

That's only one of the problems. I think the bigger problem is road awareness for drivers. Time and time again, I see drivers pulling out to overtake at the last minute, or from a tailgating position... that's how accidents like this happens. Nobody bothers to clear their corners anymore, they just swerve whenever they want, and damn to hell anyone who gets in their way....

[hagiber]

Strict Enforcement of road rules is the key... kahit one million pesos yung fine pag walang nagcocolect or nahuhuli, useless yung fine.

Yung model siguro dito is yung SBMA, may nabalitaan na ba kayong death due to a traffic accident sa SBMA ? ako wala pa...

[the_wildthing]

Right, driver education is key.

If everyone knew how to drive properly there'd be no need for fines. Everyone follows the rules. Of course, this is a Utopian view which is very hard to achieve. But measures can be taken to get closer to the ideal...

[mbt]

well, we really shouldn't be surprised that all this is happening...

the LTO is practically giving away driving licenses.

[glntVR]

Roads here are really unsafe. daming factors nito. mga unroadworthy cars, buses, jeeps and trucks. example nito mga surplus vehicles. tapos mga unmaintained vehicles. tapos mga jeep na chassis na sinalpakan lang ng body at nilagyan ng engine.

[mbt]

true, but it's the nuts behind the wheel that really contribute to road hazard :D

[driven]

yung mga rules sa expressway di talaga nasusundan, pati speed limit... hindi mo na siguro makikita mga radar detector para sa mga nag oover speeding... swerving lalo na sa shoulders or service lane dapat kasama sa mabibigat na fines... sala sa init sala sa lamig talaga... =(

[Ungas]

Malapit na matapos ang maliligayang araw ng speed freaks sa NLEX. They will have a dry run of their speed detecting units starting this month. Full implementation on Febuary next year.

Sana nga lang tumagal at wag maging ningas kugon.