There is a reason expressways have strict rules and limited access. Vehicles travel at speeds of up to 100 km/h, and everyone from private motorists to bus operators and truck drivers expects traffic to move in a predictable manner. One wrong move at those speeds can quickly turn into a serious pile of metal, glass, rubber, burning fuel, and even human remains.

That’s why being compassionate about an animal carcass, or missing an exit, is never an excuse for a dangerous maneuver.

The Land Transportation Office (LTO) recently suspended the driver’s license of a Toyota Fortuner driver for 90 days after a viral video showed the SUV making a dangerous, multi-lane swerve on the southbound section of SLEX.

The footage, shared through the “SLEX Traffic” Facebook group, showed the Fortuner traveling in the overtaking lane before suddenly cutting across several lanes after the driver, apparently realizing that they had missed an exit.

In the process, the SUV narrowly avoided colliding with multiple vehicles, including a 14-wheeler truck. The truck driver was forced to slam on the brakes, which then created a dangerous situation for vehicles following behind.

“This incident is a reminder to all motorists that irresponsible maneuvers on the road can cause serious danger to fellow road users. Therefore, road discipline must be observed and all existing traffic laws must be followed in order to avoid any untoward incidents,” said LTO Assistant Secretary, Markus Lacanilao.

Apart from the 90-day suspension, the vehicle involved was placed under alarm status. The registered owner and the driver were also ordered to appear before the LTO’s Intelligence and Investigation Division (IID) and explain why they should not be held liable for Reckless Driving and why the driver’s license should not be suspended or revoked for being an Improper Person to Operate a Motor Vehicle.

The incident serves as another reminder that missing an exit is a minor inconvenience, not an emergency. If the driver had indeed missed the Mamplasan Exit, the safer option would have been to continue to the next interchange, which is Santa Rosa, and simply reroute from there.

Modern navigation apps such as Waze and Google Maps make the decision even easier. Miss an exit, and the app recalculates the route in seconds. No destination is worth risking a multi-vehicle crash just to save a few minutes.