A spare tire which fell from a trailer truck caused a sport utility vehicle (SUV) to hit a center island, lose control, and overturn at the South Road Properties (SRP) in barangay Pasil, Cebu City.
The accident slightly injured a nephew of a judge and his driver, who were aboard the Isuzu Crosswind, which was tailing the truck at the SRP viaduct yesterday.
Chris Para, nephew of Judge Estela Alma Singco of the Regional Trial Court, and his driver, Glenn Tarle, suffered bruises and were taken to the hospital for treatment.
Investigation showed that Para and Tarle were heading to Cebu City from Talisay City to visit a relative at the Chong Hua Hospital when the accident happened.
The Crosswind is owned by Alfredo Singco, the husband of Judge Singco.
They were following the truck along the SRP viaduct when the truck’s spare tire fell off.
Tarle tried to swerve to avoid hitting the tire and instead rammed the island causing it to overturn and land on its roof on the other side of the lane.
The driver of the truck didn’t notice the accident and continued driving.
No charges were filed against the truck driver, Bingie Acosta.
The parties involved were reportedly negotiating a settlement of the damages, said PO2 Wilfredo Caperida of the Traffic Patrol Group (TPG).
Acosta said that before leaving Talisay City, he secured the spare tire.
SRP DEATHS
According to the TPG, there were seven road deaths as of December last year in this stretch of road at the SRP.
On July 11, 2012 a man on a bicycle was ran over by a dump truck in the Talisay-side of the SRP. The man was killed in the accident.
On March 13, 2012 a 10-wheeler truck rammed four vehicles after it lost its brakes while cruising along the Talisay-side of the SRP. One was injured in that accident.
PO3 Edgar Baton of the TPG said the condition of the road couldn’t be blamed for the accident because it was the responsibility of the driver to adopt to how he drives his vehicle with the road he’s traveling on.
He said it’s also the responsibility of the driver to read road signs to prevent accidents.
human error
Baton was referring to the road signs along that stretch reminding drivers of the speed limit in that area.
Baton said that most of the accidents in SRP were caused by human error.
“It’s the failure of the driver in maneuvering the vehicle,” Baton said./Correspondents Tweeny M. Malinao and Patricia Andrea D. Pateña