History nearly repeats itself on Skyway Stage 3, LTO issues SCO
About two years ago, a reportedly intoxicated rider on an underbone motorcycle entered Skyway Stage 3 through the Balintawak off-ramp and proceeded to counterflow against traffic. The incident ended in tragedy when the rider crashed head-on into an oncoming vehicle.
Now, history nearly repeated itself.
A viral video recently showed a scooter rider counterflowing on the northbound section of Skyway Stage 3, putting not only his or her own life at risk, but also those of countless motorists traveling on the elevated expressway. What makes the incident even more alarming is that it happened near the A. Bonifacio off-ramp, just a short distance from where the fatal counterflow crash occurred two years ago.
“Every motorist has the responsibility to obey the law and prioritize safety on the road. We will not tolerate any form of irresponsible driving that may cause road crashes and harm to others. We will continue to intensify the enforcement of the law to hold violators accountable and keep our roads safe,” said LTO Assistant Secretary, Markus Lacanilao.
In the video, a dashcam-equipped vehicle was traveling northbound when a scooter suddenly appeared in the fast lane, heading directly against the flow of traffic. Had timing been slightly different, or a vehicle slightly veering near the Skyway’s island, the encounter could have easily ended in a high-speed road crash.
The LTO said its Intelligence and Investigation Division (IID) was able to identify both the registered owner and the motorcycle involved. Initial findings showed that the rider violated several traffic regulations, including the expressway ban on counterflowing.
The agency has since issued a Show Cause Order (SCO), ordered the registered owner, as well as the rider at the time of incident, if any, to appear before the IID, and imposed a 90-day preventive suspension on their driver’s licenses pending investigation. The motorcycle was also placed under alarm status.
Counterflowing on an expressway is among the most dangerous things a motorist can do. But after another incident near the same area, motorists are asking: is this purely a kamote rider problem, or is there also a security and infrastructure issue that needs to be addressed by SMC?
