CLARK FREEPORT – Five persons were injured when a Mitsubishi Montero 2017 model suddenly accelerated out of control at the parking lot of the Wooden Table Restaurant here on September 6.
In a report from the Traffic Management Division of the Clark Development Corp. (CDC), on or about 1:57 p.m. on the said date, radio controller Danica Yanga informed traffic investigator Roberto Lagman, Jr. that “a vehicular self-accident” happened in front of the Wooden Table Restaurant and Paris Café.
First responder, security guard Rangie Casuga of Mustang Security Agency, helped the injured and called for help.
CDC traffic team leader Ysmael Pascual and traffic enforcers E. Conag and A. Ynigo immediately went to the accident site to assist the injured and conducted an investigation.
According to the investigators, “as per the verbal statement” of the driver, she was “traveling slowly from northeast to southeast direction” at the parking area of the said restaurant when “suddenly the vehicle accelerated prompting her to lose control.” The report also said the driver “stepped on the brake pedal to stop, unfortunately subject vehicle would not stop and continued moving forward” swerving to the right side and ran over the ornamental plants before falling in the “concrete ditch approximately five to six feet deep.”
CDC paramedics led by Noel Vasallo, Alvin Zapata and Rainer Quinto brought the injured persons to the nearby Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Medical Center here.
The injured persons included the driver of the Montero identified as Ruth Carreon who sustained a right rib fracture and soft tissue injuries, according to attending physician Dr. Francis Ivan Pineda. The passengers were identified as Grace F. Rivera who sustained dislocation of the left wrist, Maria Socorro M. Guanlao who sustained a right shoulder fracture, Edna Yira who sustained a shoulder dislocation fracture, and Aristuela Cunanan who sustained spinal shock.
Meanwhile, Raffy Nieto’s post in the Mitsubishi Montero Sport SUA info site on Facebook warned drivers of the vehicle to take the necessary precautions by following safety tips in case “sudden unintended acceleration (SUA) happens whether one believes SUA or not because everyone cares about safety.”
Nieto said, “you need to have is presence of mind whenever you start your car and shift it in gear because SUA (for most reports) get triggered the moment you shift from P to D. With most of the Monteros, you can’t shift from P to D without stepping on the brake first. So, keep it firmly pressed when you do the shift and keep your hand on the A/T gear stick.”
He continued: “If SUA occurs, you will know it as your vehicle will start to rev like mad. In most cases, there will be a big black cloud of smoke coming from your rear muffler. At this point, your foot should still be in the brake pedal. Then carefully shift from D to N. The moment you’re in N, you should (in principle) be safe, as the transmission is now disengaged from the engine. Your engine may still continue to rev (as the throttle is still likely fully open). But now you can turn off the engine with your key.”
