Content creator and car enthusiast Macoy Dubs urged fellow drivers to be cautious on roads made slippery by continuous rainfall.
On Tuesday, July 22, the internet personality shared dashcam footage from a Facebook user showing a sports utility vehicle (SUV) skidding on the Skyway northbound, just past the Bicutan entry near Raya Gardens.
The SUV came from the right side of the vehicle with the dashcam, narrowly avoiding a collision with another SUV.
The SUV later flipped toward the end of the video.
According to Philip Rasco, who posted the video, he was on his way to San Juan from Sucat, Parañaque when the incident occurred.
“I was driving 60km/h [kilometers per hour] on my speedometer when this happened,” he said to automotive publication VISOR, which also posted the video on its Facebook page.
“REMINDER: Wet = [equals] Slow,” the publication said, referring to wet road conditions and the vehicle’s speed.
Macoy was among those who saw the video and shared it on his page to raise awareness.
“Ingat po tayo. Hindi po natin sing galing si Ayrton Senna ‘pag maulan. ‘Wag niyo subukan,” the content creator said, referring to the Brazilian Formula One racing driver known for his risky maneuvers.
“Magmumukha tayong shungerz. Eme!” Macoy added.
Philip also urged fellow drivers to exercise caution.
“Ingat, dear friends. The roads may be free, but that does not mean we should drive in an unsafe manner,” he said on Facebook.
“Posting this for any person who may have been affected by the incident, especially the white Fortuner,” Philip added.
Some Filipinos who saw the video speculated that the SUV might have “hydroplaned.”
“The car looks like it hydroplaned. Madami na rin akong napapansin na hydroplaning incident videos din sa NLEX or SLEX. And people tend to panic kaya naaksidente,” a Facebook user said, referring to the North and South Luzon Expressways.
“Hydroplane,” another wrote with a face-holding-back-tears emoji.
“Alam mo [‘yung] hydroplane? Ummm! Sige, hataw pa more,” a different online user commented.
“Hydroplane. Malamang kalbo na gulong niyan,” another Pinoy said.
Hydroplaning occurs when a vehicle’s tires lose their grip on the road and instead travel on a film of water on top of the road.
It is when the tires are no longer in contact with the road surface in wet weather.
When this happens, the water forms a barrier between the tire’s tread and the road, leaving the vehicle unresponsive to steering, braking, or acceleration.
Such incidents typically occur during the rainy season, when roads are wet and slippery due to the rain.
A popular tire brand advises drivers to prevent hydroplaning by slowing down on wet roads, especially when they encounter standing water.
They are also advised to steer clear of puddles and standing water, adding that they must avoid driving through water that has pooled on the road.
Metro Manila and parts of Luzon have been continuously experiencing heavy rainfall for almost a week due to the southwest monsoon (habagat) enhanced by tropical cyclones.
State weather bureau PAGASA reported that rainfall from July 19 to 21 exceeded the monthly average for July, resulting in severe flooding in several parts of the country.
According to its 5 p.m. bulletin on July 24, PAGASA placed Metro Manila under a rainfall warning until Saturday, July 26.
