Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) mentor Edison “Bong” Nebrija called out a vehicle involved in an accident for being in the blind spot of a truck when the latter changed lanes.
The supervisor of the MMDA Traffic Education Division’s Training Section on Sunday, March 23, reacted to a Facebook Reel posted by automotive publication VISOR submitted by a user identified as “Barry BN.”
“Oscar, nasa blind spot ka ng truck, Oscar! Ayan tuloy!” Nebrija wrote, referring to the vehicle beside the truck.
He also added the hashtag “#RoadSafety” for other motorists’ awareness.
VISOR’s video on its Facebook page earned 2.2 million views, 10,000 likes and reactions and over 2,500 comments, with Filipinos sharing their insights and opinions about defensive driving.
The clip shows a vehicle driving in the right lane while the truck is in the center lane.
At the beginning of the video, the truck appears to be attempting to lane straddle, as indicated by the motion of its right wheels.
Lane straddling occurs when a vehicle is positioned across two lanes rather than occupying just one.
In the video, the truck’s right wheels can be seen on either side of the lane line, effectively occupying two lanes at once.
This creates confusion for other drivers, as it makes it difficult for those behind to determine the vehicle’s intentions. It also disrupts the flow of traffic, as other vehicles cannot properly position themselves when a wayward vehicle is occupying multiple lanes.
At the 0:05 mark of the video, the truck switches to the right lane without using its signal light.
The truck then collides with the vehicle in that lane, causing it to roll across the truck and hit another vehicle on its left side.
Some asked whether the vehicle was in the truck’s blind spot, noting that the truck could have seen the vehicle behind it through its right-side mirror before switching lanes.
Nebrija shared a photo showing the truck’s blind spots, which include its sides, its front and its rear area.
Others suggested that the truck should have signaled its intention to switch lanes, giving the vehicle behind it a warning before moving forward.
“It is not [a] blind spot, you have side mirrors to use and set. Dati bang tricycle driver ‘yung truck driver? Biglang liko, lipat lane? For the SUV driver, nakita mo nang wala na sa proper lane si truck, tinira mo pa din. Make sure to clear intentions of the vehicle in front of you before proceeding,” a Facebook user wrote.
“[Two] bad common Filipino drivers’ trait: 1. Changing lanes without signal light (truck), 2. ‘Pag nakita na may kukuha ng lane [niya], hitting gas pedal instead of brakes to give way na lang,” another user said.
A common defensive driving practice is to always check side mirrors before switching lanes to ensure it’s clear and safe to move without colliding with another vehicle.
Drivers should also signal their intention to switch lanes for at least five seconds, giving the driver behind them enough time to react.
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Drivers can also observe the direction in which a vehicle’s wheels turn to determine if it intends to switch lanes, though it is strongly recommended to use signal lights before making the move.
Meanwhile, blind spots refer to areas around a vehicle that are not easily visible through side mirrors or peripheral vision. It is not advisable to maneuver into these areas.
Blind spots are typically located just behind and to the side of the vehicle, but they can also exist anywhere the driver’s view is obstructed.
Larger vehicles, like trucks, have larger blind spots due to their increased height and length compared to standard-sized vehicles.
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