A runaway truck caused massive damage mid-afternoon Saturday, October 8 when it plowed through the busiest intersection of the Chapala-Jocotepec highway after losing its brakes on the downhill slope of the Libramiento bypass.
Five people suffered minor to serious injuries as four cars were demolished by the fully-loaded water tanker that crossed the roadway at breakneck speed, landing in the Walmart parking lot. First responders from Cruz Roja Chapala and the local Civil
Protection and Fire Department rushed to scene along with traffic and municipal police to manage the situation.
It is the second accident in the space of three weeks to occur at the same junction due to brake failures of large delivery trucks. The local government has now teamed with the area’s traffic department chief to draw up plans for preventive measures to reduce dangers at this intersection.
Judging by the state of the wreckage, it is miraculous that no one died at the scene. Cruz Roja personnel who tended to the crash victims in the immediate aftermath told the Reporter that air bags and seat belts certainly helped save lives.
The most gravely injured person is a well-known Chapala physician who was driving a van that flipped over after being struck full-on when the tanker roared across the roadway. At last report he remained in critical condition under intensive care at a Guadalajara hospital.
A lady veterinarian who had apparently just left her nearby office suffered a head wound, painful broken ribs and bruises, lucky considering that her compact sedan was practically pancaked as the huge truck took a nose dive into the parking lot. After preliminary attention at the Cruz Roja clinic, she was taken to a Guadalajara hospital for a complete medical evaluation.
Equally fortunate was a family of three whose car slammed head-on into a utility pole from the force of the impact. The driver, his pregnant wife and their young daughter were released after treatment for minor contusions. The driver of the fourth car was able to walk away with little more than shell shock.
The driver of the tanker was not injured. Apparently horrified by what had happened, eye witnesses reported that he immediately went to help the injured before being taken into custody by Chapala police.
A few hours later, an elderly man driving a motorcycle was run over by a car at the same intersection. He was diagnosed with a broken hip, and later transported to a Guadalajara hospital for medical care.
As reported in this newspaper, on September 19 the driver of a bottled water delivery truck crashed into the Flora Exotica nursery after veering off the Libramiento when the brakes on his vehicle failed.
Over the years, numerous other accidents have occurred at the same intersection under similar circumstances. The perils of chaotic traffic in the vicinity have been apparent since Walmart and Centro Laguna were developed nearly a decade ago with no appropriate highway planning taken into account.
Chapala Mayor Javier Degollado carried out a visual inspection of the area the day after the latest collisions. The government’s Secretary General Miguel Angel Mendoza and current Lake Chapala area traffic chief Jesús Morán put their heads together last Tuesday to further evaluate the spot and work out some immediate safety measures.
According to Morán, emergency steps include creating an escape lane with a sand trap along the shoulder of the Libramiento, installing rows of metal buttons or corrugated cement vibradores in last stretch of the downhill lane, along with additional warning signs and perhaps a flashing amber light along the road.
He also proposes relocating the traffic light standing next to Black Coffee to the west side of the intersection and putting in a speed bump, such as those at the Guadalajara airport, near the exit from Centro Laguna with the aim of keeping westbound vehicles father back from the intersection. He likewise suggests adding cement barriers to guide and protect pedestrians and cyclists.