Drunk-driving probe eyed in Q-Ave. underpass crash

A blue sedan was wrecked after slamming into the center island of the southbound lane of the Quezon Avenue Underpass in Quezon City late Friday night, though the driver miraculously survived.

Police said on Saturday that the vehicle was traveling at high speed before crashing into the concrete island at around 11 p.m. while heading toward España Boulevard.

The impact caused the car to overturn, crushing its roof and damaging its bumper, and temporarily slowing traffic along the busy stretch of road.

The driver, a 50-year-old man, escaped with only minor injuries and was treated at the scene.

Traffic remained congested for nearly two hours as a Metropolitan Manila Development Authority tow truck worked to clear the wreckage.

Normal traffic flow resumed at around 1 a.m. Saturday.

The Quezon City Police District said it is investigating the incident, including determining whether the driver was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash.

Under Republic Act 10586, or the Anti-Drunk and Drugged Driving Act of 2013, motorists found driving under the influence of alcohol face penalties ranging from P20,000 to P80,000, imprisonment of up to one year, or both, depending on the severity of the offense and whether injuries or fatalities are involved.

The law also mandates the suspension or revocation of a driver’s license, with harsher penalties imposed if drunk driving results in physical injuries or death.

Despite being in effect for more than a decade, enforcement of the anti-drunk driving law has been inconsistent, largely due to the limited availability of breath analyzers and blood alcohol testing kits among law enforcement units.

In many areas, police rely on field sobriety tests and observations, which are often challenged in court and may not meet evidentiary standards.

Authorities have repeatedly raised concerns that the lack of testing equipment hampers effective prosecution, allowing suspected drunk drivers to evade charges or face lesser offenses.

Calls to fully equip police units with testing kits have intensified following high-profile crashes involving suspected intoxicated motorists.

Police said investigators are now coordinating with relevant units to determine whether sufficient evidence exists to pursue charges under the anti-drunk driving law in the Quezon Avenue crash.