Modern vehicles are designed to crumple rather than withstand severe collisions. Dubbed ‘crumple zones,’ these are located at the front and back of a car and are tasked with dispersing as much energy as possible away from the passengers.
Today’s vehicular crash tests typically operate around the 30 to 40 mph (48 to 60 kph) range. However, these safety measures are bound to fail on expressways where speeds past 60 mph (100 kph) are commonplace.
Recent and tragic vehicular accidents, particularly on the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) and Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), have called into question our road safety rules and the qualifications of those driving our public utility vehicles.
Whatever road they choose, families go on the expressway expecting a smooth drive to their vacation destination. The recent tragedies have shown that even on a toll plaza where there is no movement—and supposedly no risk—anything and everything can happen. And though steps are being taken to address these, such as limiting the driving hours of bus drivers and mandating drug tests, no amount of security precautions can protect you when you’re going past 100 kph on the expressway.
READ: Our unsafe roads
Stick to your lane
While it can be tempting to run freely in the vast open road and with the excuse to go fast, expressways have designated specific lanes for certain vehicles and particular situations that should be followed.
According to the NLEX Corporation, Lane 1 should only be used for overtaking, while Lane 2 is reserved for Class 1 (cars, jeepneys, vans, and pickup trucks) vehicles.
Lanes 3 and 4 are for Class 2 (buses and trucks) and Class 3 (large trucks exceeding a height of 2.29 meters) vehicles, but buses are allowed to use Lane 2 for overtaking.
Avoid hogging the overtaking lane
Motorists should also remember to avoid hogging the leftmost lane, as they are generally advised to immediately return to their designated lane after overtaking.
In situations where the expressway has under or above four lanes, the rule of thumb is that the leftmost lane is for overtaking, while the rightmost lane is for heavy vehicles, and the middle lanes are for general traffic.
Maintain enough distance to give yourself a chance to react
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At 60 to 100 kph, you’ll only have milliseconds to react to any changes in speed, and any obstructions or accidents on the road. As such, it is generally recommended to keep a safe distance of three to four seconds behind the following car.
Use the acceleration and deceleration lanes
Aside from using your turn signals to indicate you’re changing lanes, it is advised to use the available acceleration and deceleration lanes to prevent sudden entering or exiting of the expressway.
