Driver finds ingenious way to stop runaway dump truck

Bizarre: runaway truck driver uses overpass to stop

“Nawalan ng preno eh.” [The brakes didn't work.]

You always hear this statement in the news. More often than not, that’s the excuse truck drivers and jeepney drivers give every time they get into an accident. It’s used so often that most consider it a joke. However, this story of a dump truck driver whose brakes failed in San Fernando, Pampanga is a lot more believable.

In a post by netizen Lhot Ronquillo, you can see that the dump truck was involved in a self-accident hitting an overpass along the national highway in San Fernando, Pampanga. If it wasn't clear from the photo, the truck didn’t hit the foot of the overpass. Allegedly, the driver hit the overpass intentionally to stop the truck. According to the truck driver, he "lost his brakes" and was faced with a dilemma on how to stop his truck. The driver then used the overpass to stop the runaway truck by raising the dump truck bed, which was fortunate enough to prevent a more horrific crash.

Fortunately, the accident didn’t result in the loss of any lives. Instead, the only damage was on the overpass and the dump truck itself. If it wasn’t for the quick thinking of the driver, chances are there would have been a lot more casualties whether it be stopped cars or pedestrians.

While it is fortunate no one got hurt, the accident could also have been avoided if proper maintenance was done to the truck. Nonetheless, props to the driver for thinking of a way to stop the dump truck. He would be a proper fit in Hollywood as a stuntman for using the bed like that.

In case you are in a situation wherein your brakes suddenly fail, here are some tips on what you should or shouldn't do.