Misadventure: Man killed in 160kmh race
Truck driver recalls horror of head-on crash with speeding car
By Carolyn Quek & Khushwant Singh
DEADLY CRASH: The impact of the collision tipped Mr Eio's truck over on its left side. Mr Chan's car flipped and spun around and was rendered a total wreck. -- ST FILE PHOTO: LAU FOOK KONG
IN THE three weeks of his stay at Changi General Hospital, a delivery driver kept replaying in his head that April morning's sight of a black Toyota coming straight at his truck at high speed.
April 23 started out a fine day for Mr Eio Cheng How, 37, who works for DHL. He was driving along Changi Coast Road towards the city at about 9.40am when he saw the charging black car.
Witnesses were to say later that it was going at about 160kmh in the hands of Mr Kenneth Chan Chi Heng, 28. The speed limit along the road is 70kmh.
Mr Chan, an export clerk who had earned his driving licence in 2003, died instantly of a fractured skull when his car rammed into Mr Eio's truck.
A Coroner's Court yesterday ruled his death a misadventure. State Coroner Ronald Gwee said Mr Chan 'had been driving at a very high speed and in a very dangerous, rash and reckless manner'.
Mr Eio, who is still on medical leave, broke his pelvis, right arm and right leg. Still wearing a metal brace on one leg and wheelchair bound, he recounted his harrowing experience to The Straits Times in his Toa Payoh home yesterday.
UNAVOIDABLE
'It all happened so fast, there was no time for me to react.'
MR EIO CHENG HOW, who was driving the DHL Global Mail truck which Mr Kenneth Chan Chi Heng's car smashed into
He said: 'It all happened so fast, there was no time to react.'
The impact of the collision tipped his truck over on its left side. Mr Chan's car flipped and spun around and was rendered a total wreck. Its roof was ripped off, its front smashed in and the whole right side of the car crumpled in.
Both airbags activated, but they could cushion Mr Chan only so much. He was dead when the paramedics arrived.
Insurance agent Hanani Makktom, 40, who at the time was driving towards the city with her father, told the police two cars whizzed past her on the road in the direction of Nicoll Drive.
She said in her police report she saw Mr Chan try to overtake the other car on the left before he did so on the right.
The police found out that Mr Chan, who was alone in his car, then cut into the lane for oncoming traffic, but was unable to veer back into his lane in time, which put him on a collision course with Mr Eio's DHL Global Mail truck.
Civil defence officers had to cut through the wreckage of both vehicles to get to his body and to free Mr Eio. The delivery truck driver was in intensive care for five days before being moved to the general ward and then to Ang Mo Kio Thye Hua Kwan Hospital for rehabilitation from May 16.
Mr Eio's nightmares are gone, but he has not been able to get back to work.
His wife, who wanted to be known only as Mrs Eio, said of the dark days when he was in intensive care: 'The doctors even said his leg might have to be amputated. We never thought this would happen to him. He has always been a careful driver.'
Mr Eio said he hoped all drivers, especially younger ones, will be more careful on the roads. The police say the number of speed-related fatal accidents went up by 15 last year, from 51 cases in 2005.
Vios totally scrapped!! Doubt anything can save you in any car in that speed.
Truck driver recalls horror of head-on crash with speeding car
By Carolyn Quek & Khushwant Singh
DEADLY CRASH: The impact of the collision tipped Mr Eio's truck over on its left side. Mr Chan's car flipped and spun around and was rendered a total wreck. -- ST FILE PHOTO: LAU FOOK KONG
IN THE three weeks of his stay at Changi General Hospital, a delivery driver kept replaying in his head that April morning's sight of a black Toyota coming straight at his truck at high speed.
April 23 started out a fine day for Mr Eio Cheng How, 37, who works for DHL. He was driving along Changi Coast Road towards the city at about 9.40am when he saw the charging black car.
Witnesses were to say later that it was going at about 160kmh in the hands of Mr Kenneth Chan Chi Heng, 28. The speed limit along the road is 70kmh.
Mr Chan, an export clerk who had earned his driving licence in 2003, died instantly of a fractured skull when his car rammed into Mr Eio's truck.
A Coroner's Court yesterday ruled his death a misadventure. State Coroner Ronald Gwee said Mr Chan 'had been driving at a very high speed and in a very dangerous, rash and reckless manner'.
Mr Eio, who is still on medical leave, broke his pelvis, right arm and right leg. Still wearing a metal brace on one leg and wheelchair bound, he recounted his harrowing experience to The Straits Times in his Toa Payoh home yesterday.
UNAVOIDABLE
'It all happened so fast, there was no time for me to react.'
MR EIO CHENG HOW, who was driving the DHL Global Mail truck which Mr Kenneth Chan Chi Heng's car smashed into
He said: 'It all happened so fast, there was no time to react.'
The impact of the collision tipped his truck over on its left side. Mr Chan's car flipped and spun around and was rendered a total wreck. Its roof was ripped off, its front smashed in and the whole right side of the car crumpled in.
Both airbags activated, but they could cushion Mr Chan only so much. He was dead when the paramedics arrived.
Insurance agent Hanani Makktom, 40, who at the time was driving towards the city with her father, told the police two cars whizzed past her on the road in the direction of Nicoll Drive.
She said in her police report she saw Mr Chan try to overtake the other car on the left before he did so on the right.
The police found out that Mr Chan, who was alone in his car, then cut into the lane for oncoming traffic, but was unable to veer back into his lane in time, which put him on a collision course with Mr Eio's DHL Global Mail truck.
Civil defence officers had to cut through the wreckage of both vehicles to get to his body and to free Mr Eio. The delivery truck driver was in intensive care for five days before being moved to the general ward and then to Ang Mo Kio Thye Hua Kwan Hospital for rehabilitation from May 16.
Mr Eio's nightmares are gone, but he has not been able to get back to work.
His wife, who wanted to be known only as Mrs Eio, said of the dark days when he was in intensive care: 'The doctors even said his leg might have to be amputated. We never thought this would happen to him. He has always been a careful driver.'
Mr Eio said he hoped all drivers, especially younger ones, will be more careful on the roads. The police say the number of speed-related fatal accidents went up by 15 last year, from 51 cases in 2005.
Vios totally scrapped!! Doubt anything can save you in any car in that speed.
he is innocent..haiz..
