A delivery van driver who was texting while driving was almost pinned to death inside his vehicle after he hit a truck of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) along the southbound lane of EDSA on Tuesday night.
MMDA EDSA traffic chief Bong Nebrija said the driver's helper (pahinante) said that the driver of the van, Melvin Protacio, was overtaking another vehicle while he was busy texting at around 11:40 p.m.
The MMDA truck has warning devices while the MMDA personnel were installing concrete barriers along the major thoroughfare.
"The driver of the delivery van was not intoxicated, but he was distracted while driving. His helper confessed that the van driver was busy texting," he said.
"The road was also very slippery that night because of the sudden downpour," he added.
The helper of the delivery van sustained minor injuries, Nebrija said.
The MMDA EDSA traffic chief said Protacio was almost pinned to death
"Distracted driving is really dangerous. Do not text while driving, it is against the law," Nebrija said.
It took a few minutes for medical personnel to extract Protacio from the wrecked delivery van before he and the truck's helper were rushed to St. Luke's Medical Center.