News

Was the Hyundai Elantra to blame in the Ayala Alabang accident?

Hyundai Elantra

The fatal car accident in Ayala Alabang over the weekend that killed four teenaged boys is currently the hottest topic in the local motoring community. And understandably so. Two of the victims were brothers. And Filipinos being very family-oriented, all of us want to commiserate with the bereaved parents.

In fact, many of us have something to say about the matter, as shown by the comments on our story yesterday about the father of the teenaged brothers posting a moving message on his Facebook wall. Obviously, most of the comments expressed sympathy. But a handful also pointed at another angle: What about the black Hyundai Elantra involved in the accident? Why did it fail to protect its occupants?

Here are some of the comments:

* Out of topic questions but I think these are relevant nonetheless: (1) How "fast" was the Elantra going prior to collision? (2) What was the variant of the Elantra? Were the airbags deployed? It made me wonder because Ayala Alabang Village has lots of humps in its roads. I have a friend who had a modified big-body Corolla that had a high-speed front collision, but wrecking only the front cut of the whole engine bay. Makes me wonder about this Car of the Year's overall vehicle integrity. - otto_meister

* I am still wondering how fast the car was going for it to be "cut in half," as some reports claim. In a subdivision as well, I find it difficult to go above 40-50kph especially with humps littered all over the place, so I just can't understand how it ended up this badly and why they ended up driving "that fast." If none of them were wearing seatbelts, I would have still expected those at the back to have a better chance of survival compared to those at the front, given that most likely, the engine bay collapsed inwards to the front passenger/driver compartment area. - 17Sphynx17

And then came one post from someone who claimed to have gotten his information from actual witnesses:

* I had dinner Sunday evening with relatives from AAVA who saw the actual accident scene and spoke to the guards. Nearly the whole thing was captured on the village CCTV cameras. This is what the news article isn't saying: The boys had come from a convenience store beside the village's basketball court, apparently to buy more alcohol. Acacia Avenue's humps are staggered, meaning they don't cross the entire width of the road, and the driver was observed (on CCTV) zigzagging around the humps, as if Acacia Ave was a slalom course, and picking up speed. By the time they got to the last, fateful set of humps, the car was doing (as calculated by village security personnel) about 120kph. The driver oversteered exiting the "slalom" and the car spun, hit the curb and went airborne.

Upon landing, the Elantra hit a concrete utility post SIDE-ON. The car was wrapped around the post and its roof had been pried open. The airbags didn't go off because the sensor which triggers the deployment of the airbags is in the bumper or within the first few inches of the car's front. The Elantra hit the post side-on, which didn't disturb the airbag sensor at all.

Lawyers will probably have a field day trying to pin the blame on Hyundai, but the truth is, airbag deployment simply doesn't work that way. I've seen (and photographed) at least one Hyundai in a frontal accident where BOTH airbags deployed properly. With all due respect and sympathy to the affected families, the car wasn't intoxicated or driving around the humps on its own.

The Car of the Year award doesn't necessarily mean the winning car can rip through a slalom course at extra-legal speeds. Even F1 cars, for all the gripping power in their tires and expertise in their drivers' hands, spin out of a corner when taken too fast. The laws of Physics have limits too, and were, sadly, among several laws broken that night. However, amidst this horrific tragedy, if this incident teaches parents to be more vigilant and young drivers to be more prudent, the loss of four young lives before last Sunday dawn will not be in vain. My condolences. Drive safely, always. - steve1221

For now, we don't know how accurate the above statements are. We will have to wait for the official result of the investigation for that. To be fair to the victims, here's another comment attesting to their good conduct:

* They're not doing a joyride. They were on the way home. I don't think they were under the influence. These guys kept it straight; they were actually elegant and reserved in person. I'm not sure where they were from, and I don't have the guts to ask (the father). R.I.P. Tim & Josh - best of friends and best of brothers. You may be sitting in the sidelines of church trying to avoid public eye, and yet you will be remembered fondly and constantly. - Gartlas P. Baudelaire

As in other fatal accidents in the past, we may never ever know the whole truth. Some will say we probably don't even have the right to know the truth--especially if knowing the truth will only add to the misery of the families left behind. Whatever the truth is, here's a thought that will always remain true: The best safety equipment is the one sitting in the driver's seat. No amount of crumple zones and antilock brakes and supplemental airbags and traction control can beat that.

Tags: , , ,
COMMENTS

User account login

Not registered? Click here to be a TopGear.com.ph member.

Forgot your Password?.

Click this link to view our posting guidelines.

Filter comments by:
Called-Out Comments All Comments
  • GTi 11 months ago
     
    The Elantra is certified a 5 star safety rating by the US NHTSA, which supposedly means that this is a very safe car. It was definitely due to dangerous driving. There is NO WAY you would be able to crash a car this way, in a village full of humps, if you have been driving properly.
       
    • warak1422 11 months ago
       
      baka sa U.S. lang 5star yang elantrang yan Sir,,,d2 sa Pnas,,,halos lahat ng "standard" sana,,, naging "optional" na,,,baka lang...sa dami ba nmn ng humps sa lugar na yan,,,at nka 60kph cgurado madidisgrasya,,,lalo na mga TEENS pa,,,they're very very HOTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT
          1
      • warak1422 11 months ago
         
        60kph
           
      • dsobreo 11 months ago
         
        May gawin dapat ang govt. dito, dapat isabatas nila ang pag sstandard ng safety features. Kulang sa pangil yung batas natin
           
        • walphie 13 months ago
           
          The fact of the matter is, someone wasn't being responsible enough. Is it the lack of safety features? Hell, no. A driver's primary responsibility is ensuring the safety of his or her passengers, not showing off, not speeding, not showing off his "fancy driving skills."

          In a recent US DOT report (http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/pubs/811102.pdf), the airbag-seatbelt combo can only save 61 percent of those who are in involved in frontal collisions. Not 100 percent. It isn't perfect, but it has already saved a lot. But it does not mean putting safety features will automagically mean fatalities end.

          Driving is a dangerous activity. More younger people die from traffic-related accidents than from diseases or crimes. This is a fact. It's justthat we've become so used to the risks, that we tend to underestimate it and become all too familiar with it, making us lax and leading to tragedies like this. Driving can really kill you and others, if you're not careful enough.
             
          • manongtaxi 11 months ago
             
            Like all other products in the market, a car's safety features guarantees you of 99% protection in case of an accident. The problem here where does the remaining 1% go? The remaining 1% goes to the person operating/using it. Useless ang safety features/ effectivity ng isang product kung careless ang gagamit nito.
               
  • enZo4o 11 months ago
     
    one of the points to be raised, did they engaged the seatbelts on? because even if you have airbags of 10 or more it will not deploy if seatbelts are not used properly. like if you agree?
       
    • walphie 13 months ago
       
      I believe some car makes will not allow airbags to deploy if the seatbelts are not on. For instance, the beeping thing on Hondas when you're not buckled up? That's connected to the airbags. (I should know, I tried finding out if it could be disabled safely, only to find a wiring diagram showing exactly this. So no go, too dangerous to put the SRS at risk by modifying it)

      No belts, no bag deploys.

      Besides, this was not a frontal collision. You have side curtain and B-pillar airbags for side impacts. But those are still very new, and will take some time to trickle down to Japanese and Korean compacts.
         
  • warak1422 11 months ago
     
    Yesss...because Elantras are for Girls...hehe,,,dami na nmn dislikes ne2 4 sure,,,
        9
  • rjca 11 months ago
     
    I've driven in AAV before and the humps are staggered. At night, especially at 4am I would avoid the humps (go on the opposite side) as they become unnecessary due to the lack of traffic. Going 120km/h is truly possible, especially the stretch near the Country Club as I've gone at least 100km/h there before. I'm not saying it did happen, but it could've. I did similar things as a teenager.

    R.I.P. boys
       
  • LancerEX-GTA 11 months ago
     
    Wala ba sa Elantra yung irritating sound when driving at xx km/h without the seatbelt on? On my GTA, it has this very irritating sound that won't stop until I buckle up. It forces me to buckle up.
       
    • John Rigor 13 months ago
       
      No, wala. It only does it upon startup and when you remove your seatbelt.
         
    • mts 13 months ago
       
      Sir, may style tayo dyan.. idaan mo sa likod ng seat at ipaikot mo bago mo i-lock.. Wala nang maingay.. Ooopppss.. Nako, I'm bad.. :))
         
  • Giovchan 11 months ago
     
    but i think the chassis must be rigid enough to sustain that crash, kasi kahit sa mga highspeed they should be designed to sustain those kinds.. baka may pagkukulang lang nga talaga sa part of the manufacturer- drive safely
       
    • DePendot 13 months ago
       
      dude, Hyundai.
         
    • manongtaxi 11 months ago
       
      Car manufacturers can't make the body of a vehicle to be harder than or add up more rigidness than it is already, because the main purpose is to take the FORCE/ENERGY of the impact away from the occupants of the vehicle. Kaya nga KASING LAMBOT NA NG LATA NG COKE ANG MGA KOTSE NGAYON, ang main purpose nun is for the protection of the passengers, haven't you wondered why F1 cars are soft and brittle? because in case of a high speed impact the body of the car will break apart and take the energy/force of the impact away from the occupant/driver. Useless ang kotse kahit kasing tigas pa yan ng pader kasi it will only do more damage and injuries to the occupants of the vehicle because they will absorb the FULL FORCE/ ENERGY of the impact. You don't need to be a rocket scientist to observe and know this, it's being taught to all of us in 4th Year Highschool, Physics Class. And to add up kahit ano pa kotse ang idrive mo as long as you're a responsible driver i think malaking risk na ang nabawas mo from occurring.
         
  • TJPewter 11 months ago
     
    http://www.topgear.com.ph/features/columns/all-will-drive/rich-parents-we-have-a-problem
    Have y'all forgotten this? An Audi A4 was also cut in half due to the speed when it crashed. It all really depends on the speed of the car or something. I guess no matter how safe the car is, it can go wrong at times.
       
    • Giovchan 11 months ago
       
      that is one strong post O.O but in that case, same high-speed but it hit the post so the A4 was cut into half.. and one of them miraculously survived! The best solution so far is driving safely
         
      • LancerEX-GTA 11 months ago
         
        Yup, that was the difference. The A4 got one survivor, but not a single one (out of the four) on this Elantra.
           
    • carwiki 13 months ago
       
      Kawawa naman yung A4, natanggal yung ibang parts. Bakit namatay yung driver, activated yung airbags?
         
  • 17Sphynx17 11 months ago
     
    After reading steve1221's statement or explanation, it appears not to be a collision per se, but somewhat a skid that ended up turning into a rollover. During the "rollover", in mid turn/flip, it hit the post, hitting it on the side and roof, which would definitely explain why it severely affected the whole cabin area.

    So basically the accident was not the car being cut in half but the side and roof collapsing down into the cabin because of sheer force hitting blunt squarely onto the pole. The force may have bent the subframe, but would that really "cut" the subframe?

    Condolence to the family.

    And i wouldn't expect the car to really have be able to protect its cabin properly as the accident is beyond normal situations and outside normal driving conditions. You could survive this in a car with a roll cage I believe. But other than that, it would be difficult to say that you could in any "normal vehicle" at that supposed speed.
       
    • LancerEX-GTA 11 months ago
       
      steve1221 did not mention anything about hitting the 'side and roof'. The vehicle crashed side-on and moved open the roof. Until we see the post crash pictures, we'll never know.

      "Upon landing, the Elantra hit a concrete utility post SIDE-ON. The car was wrapped around the post and its roof had been pried open. The airbags didn't go off because the sensor which triggers the deployment of the airbags is in the bumper or within the first few inches of the car's front. The Elantra hit the post side-on, which didn't disturb the airbag sensor at all"
         
      • 17Sphynx17 11 months ago
         
        Argh... My eyes and comprehension seems to be failing me today. Perhaps I need to rest for a bit.

        Apologies. I thought it "turned to its roof".

        But then I really don't understand the accident anymore. So did the car really cut in half and the subframe give way? Want to understand it really.

        So most likely the ones on the opposite end had neck "snapping" injuries which is the more probable cause of death other than physical trauma then if you take into account that it was on one side, and the passenger on the side that was "hit" would have been some form of cushion from physical trauma however, wouldn't have been able to help in preventing injuries to the spine/neck.

        Again sorry for misinterpretation. Long day.
           
    • Allain 13 months ago
       
      grabe kayong dalawa!Sana wag mabasa ito nung Daddy nila. Tinalo nyo mga imbistigador. Habang binabasa ko ito na iimagine ko talaga kung paano sila kasakit namatay.
         
      • 17Sphynx17 13 months ago
         
        It's not about being insensitive but I am trying to understand the scenario from the outcome.

        Here's the thing, no photos of the scene and the actual car so some people will tend to generalize that it was not a safe car.

        No official investigation report as to the speed just a "fast" statement, which can be relative depending as to who is claiming the word fast.

        There are 4 deaths, you would want to know what happened because you would have at least expected some of them to have survived but they didn't, so what extremes were at play at that time to have caused such an event? That is something that I would want to know.
           
  • ReyMatt 11 months ago
     
    Is there a modern car in existence that would rip in half in a heAd on collision? The engine's the hardest part of the car, I doubt the Elantra met the accident front first
        1
  • 17Sphynx17 11 months ago
     
    To follow the explanation of how it would really be almost impossible to blame the vehicle, I would like to direct the attention to a possible experiment/scenario.

    During topgear uk episodes, I think they've did it quite a number of times and so did the mythbusters.

    Basically it is a race between a land based vehicle and something being dropped from the sky.

    As they explained it, as you fall down back to earth you will eventually reach terminal velocity. And in that explanation, (if I recall it correctly) terminal velocity is 120kph.

    So basically, in this scenario, it is like dropping a tree trunk or rigid pole (wood, metal or concrete) from the air to fall down squarely on a still vehicle. That object should have enough distance from the ground though to reach terminal velocity. No matter what regular vehicle you put under there, you would surely sustain great damage.

    On the NHTSA (sorry if I mispelled the acronym of the agency), how fast do they conduct roll-over tests? do those reach 120kph or over 60mph?

    I'm sorry if some feel I end up expounding too much but I hoped that helped in "visualizing" the scenario to what can be considered common knowledge so they grasp the conditions at play.
       
    • 17Sphynx17 11 months ago
       
      Sorry, please disregard this TGP and all commenters. Hayz... read and understood wrong. Long day.
         
    • dsobreo 11 months ago
       
      60mph sir
         
    • car_mac 11 months ago
       
      In mythbusters, splitting a car in half is not easy when the Front Engine hit the "Ice Splitter" while the Rear Engine car has plausible chances.
         
      • dsobreo 11 months ago
         
        Yep I also watched that episode.
           
      • 17Sphynx17 13 months ago
         
        The mythbuster, took it from the front with rear and front engine mounted cars. But they have not done any tests for side impacts or roof impacts to cut the vehicle in half.

           
        • car_mac 13 months ago
           
          I think it would be plausible for splitting a car in half sideways.
             
  • Rlesaguis9 11 months ago
     
    Dapat kasi cars wont be able to start if lahat ng passengers including the driver is not buckled up. pero other than that, sabi nga ng dad ko.. "Maging Defensive Driver Kapag Manubela na ang Kaharap" meaning be safe at all times. And ofcourse Dont Drink and Drive. btw Im only 17 and wala pang time na hindi ako naka seatbelt whil driving. Para rin ito sa atin. Wala namang mawawala.
       
    • warak1422 13 months ago
       
      eh wala ka pa lang lisensya eh...kahit na safest car to drive pa gamitin mo,,,wala rin...
         
      • manongtaxi 11 months ago
         
        @warak1422 Punta ka sa LTO HEAD OFFICE sa EAST AVE, 16 para sa student license, 17 para sa non prof at 18 para sa PROFESSIONAL license, ALAM NAMAN NATIN LAHAT NA ANG PROFESSIONAL LICENSE ay para sa pagdrive ng public utility vehicles at trucks
           
  • BOOGIECAT 11 months ago
     
    Yan ang result ng DRUNK IRRESPONSIBLE DRIVING...Dapat taasan ang speed humps dyan sa Ayala Alabang Village at sa iba pang villages.
       
    • warak1422 13 months ago
       
      wag nmn Sir,,,sayang nmn yung mga cars w/ lowered suspensions...
         
    • manongtaxi 11 months ago
       
      Kahit gaano pa kataas ang humps at kahit gaano pa yan kataas kung g*go talaga ang driver walang mangyayaring mabuti, kaya nga instilling ourselves and other future drivers with the correct driving etiquette and knowledge, kahit walang humps or any other devices sigurado tayo na ligtas ang daanan or at least nabawasan ang significant chances na mangyari ang isang aksidente.
         
  • the 8th 11 months ago
     
    We also have to remember that crash tests are done at a little over 60kph only. I think this means that anythin over that, you're not guaranteed anymore of the same level of safety. In the same light, this is also why i think some high-powered cars are limited to 155mph; you're not guaranteed the same level of reliability if pushed over those speeds.
       
  • mindkinetic 11 months ago
     
    no matter how one get's to explain the reason how this unfortunate mishap happened it still cannot be denied that to review the glaw design of the elantra must be considered seriously. why? i dont believe these kids we're speeding constantly at 120kph as alleged ,more so when they are doing a slalom at the gap of each hump" , there will always be a certain period of speed decline ( mind me but this is also physics ). i have a friend who figured in an accident several years back while speeding @140 kph the honda hatch skid , flew a few feet , overturned and ended wraping the post that ended the scenario this happened in silang cavite while they were on their way back from tagaytay the good news is all the 5passengers survived the accident. BMW is also well known in protecting te occupants well . in fact one of those that can give testimony to this is leo martinez who happens to have experience how BMW's safety features and sturdy design saved him from a supposedly fatal accident coming out of the ordeal aost unscathed . which leads us back to the elantra , it is imperative to know why it failed to protect the occupants that zero survival came out as a result.
       
    • warak1422 11 months ago
       
      yeah BMW simply the Best
          1
    • Allain 13 months ago
       
      what about the Mercedes-Benz S280 that kills Princess Diana? According to the report the two forward passengers' airbags had functioned normally but none of the car's occupants were wearing seat belts. Nang bumangga sila estimated speed is 105kmh. Dead on the spot si Fayed at yung driver. Si Diana died from internal injuries like her heart had been displaced from the left to the right side of the chest, which tore the pulmonary vein and the pericardium...well sabi nga ng marami kung oras mo oras mo na.
         
    • DePendot 13 months ago
       
      pare. Hyundai ito hindi BMW.aun.
          1
  • neotech93 11 months ago
     
    The car should also be examined. Even if the accident was due to irresponsible driving, the car's safety systems should have at least significantly minimized the damages in the cabin. But all 4? Let me quote what Clarkson said. He says he's worried about these crash tests because what manufacturers do is that they build/design the car to perform well in the tests themselves, not so much in real world applications. Car makers should make cars that are truly safe and not just ones that can pass these certification crash tests. One thing is for sure though, when the investigation comes to a conclusion, people will do appropriate steps to make motoring safer. Both on the side of the car and the driver. Drivers have already started.
       
    • manongtaxi 11 months ago
       
      Oo sure siguro nga ganun ang ginagawa ng mga manufacturers but come to think of it, kahit sabihin mo na kinontrol ng mga manufacturers ang environment para sa sarili lang nila, lalo na sa mga safety tests na yan meron din naman tayong mga drivers na pwede kontrolin para maging ligtas din? I mean dun kahit nandiyan ang seatbelt ng isang kotse pero di mo naman sinuot sa tingin mo mapoprotektahan ka pa din nito in case of an impact/collision? Sa tingin mo kahit tadtad pa ng safety features ang kotse pero like you said "irresponsible driving" ang nangyari don't you think it already significantly reduced the efficacy of the safety features from protecting the passengers? Tayong mga drivers kaya natin imanipulate and icontrol ang certain factors when it comes to driving like: ang pagiging cool imbes mainitin ang ulo, ang pagiging easy lang imbes magpakitang gilas sa mga tao, etc., so yeah i think we can't blame the manufacturer kung wala naman nakitang pagkakamali sa produkto nila. But the investigators of the accident SHOULD ALSO check the car that was driven by the 4 teenagers involved in the accident.
         
      • neotech93 11 months ago
         
        Exactly what I said sir. But it wouldn't hurt to check the car as it may unfold a design flaw. Keyword - may
           
  • car_mac 11 months ago
     
    Since na madaling araw yan, baka di na rin nya napansin yung humps pero huli na rin sa akto yan na matulin ka e
       
    • spherion03 13 months ago
       
      They are teenagers. I don't think they have enough knowledge about driving a car, since they don;t have any of their parent's supervision.
         
      • warak1422 13 months ago
         
        @ 4am,,,whaaaaaaaaaaa,,,they should be @ home sleeping/dreaming,,,spcly the 3 under aged boys,,,...mga parents nga nmn oh,,,pasaway rin,,,walang disiplina sa kanilang kids
           
  • markdejesus76 11 months ago
     
    I got a scoop from my father's friend na kapitbahay ng mga Syyap.

    Lumipad yung kotse nung may nadaanang humps, the front of the car crashed head-on to the asphalt so parang eroplano na bumagsak sa lupa. ( Imagine the speed of the vehicle to have flown that way ). After that, since napakalakas talaga ng impact ( from "fast" to "force" ), nagbounce back yung car then tumama na sa post tsaka sa pader tapos nahati.

    Dapat lumabas pa 'din yung air bag kung ganito nga yung nangyari. Yung Ford Lynx nga (nasa manual) pag nabangga mo sa likod at malakas yung impact magdedeploy ng air bag yung harap. Pero dapat naka seat belt pa din sila tska 'di dapat sila nagdrive ng walang supervision ng magulang.
       
  • fortis 11 months ago
     
    I think here are some pointers to stay safe while driving no matter what car you are driving

    1. Don't Drink and Drive
    2. Concentrate while driving. Be calm and have the proper mindset that you need to go from point A to B safely.
    3. Be a defensive driver and be courteous to other fellow motorists as much as possible.
    4. Wear your seatbelts always
    5. Have your brakes checked on a regular basis following your maintenance schedules. Have it re-adjusted or replaced as needed. Don't forget your brake fluid too.
    6. Check tire tread wear and replace your tires if needed already.
    7. Pray, God is above all anything else.

       
  • isaac3654 11 months ago
     
    A difference of only 10 km/h can spell the difference between life and death. Prang sa pera lang yan. Savhn natin, "Ay, piso lang yan ipang wishing fountain nlng natin yan" Tpos may gus2 ka palang bilin at kulang ka ng piso, svhn natin, P999 pera mo pero P1k pala ang price, at wala kang ma-uutangan. Pano mo na mabibili un? Pag sa speed, travelling at 1 km/h is very safe. May banggain ka man wlang masasaktan/maddamage. Pero pag 10 km/h kana, meron ka nang masasaktan/maddamage diba? Point is, now matter how large or small the difference in speed is, the effects will have a huge difference bet. life and death, even driving habits and practices. Drive safely and always wear your seatbelts. Always assume there is danger lurking ahead para lagi taung alerto habang nagmamaneho. :D
       
  • bvnzn 11 months ago
     
    Having a car with a high safety rating doesn't mean death proof. The tests they do are mostly only on head on collision tests not so much on cars flipping over hard or hitting roof first on poles or even walls. The roof itself doesn't have safety features that can prevent it from crushing. Even if it were a head on collision, people can still die because of high impacts and how the body reacts to the impact.

    Still, people are easily to blame on most accidents like these because it's the drivers who control the car and sometimes abuse their car. They have the choice to either go safe or go reckless. Teenagers in general are immature and proper responsibility are still developing inside their minds. Most would agree that teenage drivers, especially boys, would go for a 'need for speed' or 'fast and furious' style of driving. So maybe we can blame the movies and the games? :D
       
    • 17Sphynx17 11 months ago
       
      Well, I wouldn't really just point the gun on those shows or games. These should have gone hand in hand with parenting. I am not saying you don't allow your children to watch or play but rather that the parent step in once in a while to tell the child the difference between these and the reality of what they should be keeping their mindset in.

      That is why I think some of today's parents don't play as active a role in their children's life in terms of values/discipline and take a more "distanced" stance. Something I don't really understand/comprehend.
         
      • bvnzn 13 months ago
         
        On a serious note, yes I would agree with you. There are parents who are not always there for their children in terms of "parenting" meaning disciplining their children. Time and career usually gets in before their priority job as fathers and mothers.

        But think of it this way: Even if the parents raise their child as someone who is good and obedient with proper discipline, who is it to blame if the child chooses to grow up and live a disastrous life? It's still the child. We can't necessarily blame the parents if the children decide to live differently or act differently. They can be taught to do good, but instead they act bad.

        Watching race films or playing race cars are a huge influence. Even if parents taught them the reality and what is good and bad, the child can still choose to do the bad no matter how many times the father disciplines or tells the child. There are other situations like a child raised badly by seeing how evil and angry a parent acts, but then he chooses to do good. So, in short, it's still you who decides how to act or when to act and we can't necessarily blame parents though they can be an influence.

           
        • 17Sphynx17 13 months ago
           
          Hi. I wasn't putting blame on the parents but rather a reminder that parents need to keep somewhat of an active role in their kids' life. The activity will wane as the age passes the dependency on the parents, but it will still be present.

          Yes, they might still turn out with bad traits/habits, but at least (as parents) you "fought the fight" so to speak.

          Education wouldn't stop at the school level/day care, it also continues at the home, though in a different presentation.
             
      • walphie 13 months ago
         
        So true, sir.
           
    • John Rigor 13 months ago
       
      The Euroncap and the IIHS tests cars for roof strength.
         
  • JuanC 13 months ago
     
    Drive safely for your love ones..
       
  • spherion03 13 months ago
     
    That's why the driver should always know the responbility in the lives of his passenger/s.

    Condolence to the family.
       
  • nonshowbiz 13 months ago
     
    Afaik There are no convenience stores that are open 24hours inside the village..
       
  • walphie 13 months ago
     
    steve1221's post begs the question, if the convenience store was indeed the source of the alcohol, why did the convenience store sell alcohol to minors? Hindi man lang nanghingi ng ID?
       
  • DePendot 13 months ago
     
    paging HyundaiBest
       
    • warak1422 13 months ago
       
      na banned na...sabi nla,,,wag mo na syang e page,,,SF lang alam non
         
  • Fernando Amorsolo 13 months ago
     
    Can't say anything. Mindkinetic already said the things on my mind. TO ADD.

    a. Pansin ko nga na medyo mahina nga ang kaha ng mga Hyundai. So many instances na nakakkita ako ng banggaang, to find a Hyundai vehicle.. in poor condition. Parang ang daling mayupi. Anyway nakabawi naman sila sa Fluidic design nila. BUT, the quality, makes me think twice.

    b. I've already said it in the past, THE STEERING of the Hyundais. They're are so.. inaccurate. In that collision, THERE ARE CHANCES, that the car could escape the collision, IF THE car is steered in the last minutes (pero you could not blame it, kasi hindi naman expert drivers yung bata) away from the post (wtv).

    Just my few thoughts.
       
    • warak1422 13 months ago
       
      proven yang steering inaccuracy sa starex namin
         
  • DePendot 13 months ago
     
    i dont feel sorry for skaters having bone fractures as i don't feel sorry for Rich kids dying in automobile accidents especially minors/drunk/high speeds. kung hindi sila pasok dito, condolence po. else, buti nga.
       
  • carwiki 13 months ago
     
    Yes, I agree with "The best safety equipment is the one sitting in the driver's seat. " And also the front passenger.
       
  • John Rigor 13 months ago
     
    This is a black Elantra, so probably is the TOTL 1.8L variant, which means this has dual front airbags.

    Does anyone have pictures? I think what truly killed them is when they were thrown out. If they were wearing seatbelts, the Elantra's body would have protected them and they would have survived.

       
  • Javaman 13 months ago
     
    Maybe this in a case of sudden acceleration. There was an incident of the Sonata suddenly accelerating and unable to stop until it crashed just a few weeks ago in Korea.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=McmPVJQLDXQ
       
    • John Rigor 13 months ago
       
      I doubt. The news said they were speeding and driving drunk, which is really dangerous when put together.
         
  • barry 13 months ago
     
    there are so many questions that enters my mind. first, did they fasten their seat belts? second, are they speeding up too fast? we don't know. but for me, we cannot put the blame on the hyundai elantra but perhaps, we should know if they are driving too fast especially that these teenagers are 18 years of age. at this age, teenage drivers seem to be more aggressive on the road when there is no adult that accompanies it. compared to long-time drivers, they are more aware when they're driving.
       
  • lord_cykb24 13 months ago
     
    Lately we've decided to purchased our 2nd car a sedan, then I've chosen the Mitsubishi Lancer EX GT-A, but the looming price tag makes me err, so my other option is the COTY Hyundai Elantra, because it's cheaper and lots of praise from international markets, and also ranks top in safety testing. But now in this incident just happened, I'd rather go back to my mother brand.
       
  • matmat 13 months ago
     
    Dapat gawin na lang buo yung humps (hindi staggered) sa ayala alabang para kahit papano mapwersa mag-slow down sa every intersection at hindi yung iiwas sila sa kabilang lane para lang hindi madaanan yung humps. Pwede naman hindi sobrang taas..yung smooth and tama lang ang height. Pero syempre sa driver pa din talaga dapat magsimula ang pag-iingat.
       
  • gundam 13 months ago
     
    Thanks to the one up there for the divine intervention that it ended this way. For me its better like this coz what if innocent driver like you or me is on the opposite side of the road during that time or pedestrian. Then more families will suffer. Blame is on the driver coz he is not only responsible for himself but also for the passenger and the people that might be affected by his action. If the driver is not the owner of the car, then the owner is also to blame. If the driver is a minor, then the LTO is also to blame coz thats a violation and they're not doing anything.
       
  • boyet5 13 months ago
     
    (The best safety equipment is the one sitting in the driver's seat. No amount of crumple zones and antilock brakes and supplemental airbags and traction control can beat that.) Thumbs Up!
       
  • bravo26 13 months ago
     
    Ayala Alabang have 60kph speed limits, they really implement it. Got caught ones doing 80kph. If your doing 60kph, and have at lest 2-3sec to react before hitting something, I don't think it would result to this tragedy.
    As tragic as it is, driver conduct/responsibility is a huge part in operating motor vehicle. It's is a big responsibility.
       
  • RS500 11 months ago
     
    Generally, kahit pa 5 star rating ang kotse mo, kung magmamaneho ka ng lasing at ibabangga mo at speeds of 120 kph, malaki pa din ang chance na mapapahamak ka. Case to case basis ang blame sa kotse. Pwede investigate yan kapag front or side collision then walang gumanang airbag. Pwede din namang di sumunod sa safety standards ung manufacturer kaya in-event of collision, malaki ang damage. At lastly pwede din namang mechanical failure na accountable for recall. For example, naglolock ung steering or sudden acceleration then maraming reported cases. Diyan lang pwedeng sisihin ang vehicle. Other than that, nasa driver pa din ang fault lagi. ( o sige idagdag ang kawalan ng road signs pero iba pa din pag may "common sense")
       
  • sachiel 13 months ago
     
    Just goes to show that there are plenty of reckless, st*p*d drivers who think they are cool when they can reach high speeds. The driver gambled with death and he lost the bet so too bad for him. The only regret is he took 3 people with him to the grave.
    This is more of a moral lesson to people especially the young ones that if you don't have experience handling high speeds, don't do it! It takes years of practice to control high speed vehicles. Look what happened to Richard Gutierrez. The GTR is too fast for him and almost cost him his life. It's good he settled for the Panamera instead. I'm sure he still get nightmares whenever he sees a GTR.=D
       
  • one.edchelle 11 months ago
     
    safe driving is still the key..
       
Filter comments by:
1 to 20 of 39