FATAL AMBULANCE CRASH AFTERMATH: Prohibiting emergency response vehicles on flyovers eyed

Local

TO EXPAND surveillance coverage on elevated roads, Cebu City is considering restricting emergency vehicles from using flyovers following a fatal crash that killed an 18-year-old student.

Mayor Nestor Archival said on Monday, April 20, that the city’s Traffic Management Committee (TMC) has been directed to submit a comprehensive report on the April 14 incident involving an ambulance and a motorcycle along the Archbishop Reyes Avenue flyover.

“Adto ni nako ihatag sa TMC. [Mag request ko nga] tagaan ko og report unsa’y nahitabo,” Archival said in a press conference.

The mayor noted that the review will involve traffic enforcers, disaster response units, and the city’s legal team.

He raised the possibility of prohibiting ambulances and fire trucks from passing through flyovers, citing safety concerns over limited road space.

“I understand nga didto sila nagbangga sa ibabaw. Naa siguro’y regulation og kaning mga ambulance ug fire trucks, angay ba muagi within the flyovers,” Archival said.

“Kay kasagaran duha ra man gud ka-lane. Kung magpadayon ni, naay sunog, ambulansya, unya naay mga motor nga muagi pud, magkadaghan ang disgrasya,” he added.

Archival said one option under study is to require all emergency vehicles to use ground-level roads instead of elevated structures.

“Pwede ba nga tanan natong emergency vehicles anha ra sa ilalom, dili na muagi sa flyover. Mao ni’y angay tun-an,” he added.

The proposal comes as the city also looks into strengthening its traffic monitoring capabilities. Archival acknowledged that while Cebu City has an existing network of closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras, these do not fully cover flyovers and skyways.

“Naay concerns sa atong command center nga dili ta makakita sa flyovers,” he said.

To address this gap, the mayor said the installation of additional CCTV units on elevated roadways is being considered for inclusion in next year’s budget.

“Usa ni sa atong improvements nga i-consider nga iapil sa budget next year,” Archival said.

He added that current funds under the supplemental budget are largely allocated to waste management.

The April 14 crash claimed the life of Braille Nichole Kwek, an 18-year-old Mechanical Engineering student, after a collision between a motorcycle and an ambulance that allegedly counterflowed on the flyover.

Initial police findings showed that Kwek and the motorcycle driver, 19-year-old Juan Antonio Ladioray, were traveling northbound when they encountered the oncoming ambulance, which was transporting a stroke patient.

The impact threw both victims off the motorcycle. Kwek died from her injuries, while Ladioray remains in critical condition.

Authorities have filed an initial charge of reckless imprudence resulting in serious physical injuries and damage to property against the 23-year-old ambulance driver, who is currently under the custody of the Cebu City Police Office Traffic Enforcement Unit.

A homicide case is also being prepared.

Archival earlier said he had visited Kwek’s wake to personally extend condolences and assured the family of assistance from the city government.

He also ordered a review of emergency vehicle driver qualifications and training protocols.

While he described the incident as “isolated,” the mayor acknowledged its severity and said it has prompted a reassessment of safety measures involving emergency response vehicles.

“This may not necessarily be an overhaul, but an improvement,” he said.(TGP)