QUEZON CITY, Philippines — Fighting off sleep while on the road, a driver ended up tipping over the 16-wheeler truck he was driving along North Luzon Expressway in Balintawak, Thursday at dawn.
Stephen Morones,30, was driving with delivery helper, Fernando Santillan, when he suddenly felt drowsy from working all night loading containers until morning.
He tried to park by the side of the road for a quick nap but was prevented from doing so.
“Tatabi dapat ako diyan kaya lang sinusundan kami ng wrecker. Nakikusap ako ng kahit 30 minutes lang, hindi ako pinagbigyan eh, kaya dinerecho ko na (I was going to park by the side but a wrecker was following us. I asked if I could have at least 30 minutes, but they wouldn’t allow it. So, I just kept on driving),” Morones said.
Struggling to stay awake, he continued to drive not realizing that he was already falling asleep at the wheel.
The truck initially crashed into a concrete separator and a road sign before flipping over onto its side, blocking the two lanes on NLEX.
Santillan sustained foot injuries and complained of pain in the hip while Morones has trouble walking after the accident.
No one else was reported hurt by the incident.
The crash caused heavy traffic on NLEX and Edsa northbound prompting the NLEX traffic control to send for a lifter to haul the truck to the impounding area at the Pulilan Exit.
The truck’s driver will be facing reckless driving resulting in damage to property. — Chato Alonsagay (with reports from Asher Cadapan Jr.)
The post Drowsy driver tips over 16-wheeler appeared first on UNTV News.