A woman travelling with her six-year-old son experienced a frightening ordeal after a taxi driver allegedly lost consciousness while driving along the East Coast Parkway (ECP).
The incident occurred at about 12.45pm on 6 July as the pair were travelling from Jewel Changi Airport towards Crawford Lane for lunch.
According to the passenger, the taxi driver appeared normal and was chatting with her shortly after the journey began. However, things took a dramatic turn while the vehicle was travelling on the expressway.
Taxi Allegedly Began Drifting Across Road
@winnie.loves Still abit shaken from what happen just now. The driver became unconcious while the car was still in motion on the expresswayðŸ˜ðŸ˜ #storytime #accident ♬ News, news, seriousness, tension(1077866) – Lyrebirds music
The woman said she first noticed something was wrong when the taxi started veering towards the road shoulder.
Initially, she believed the vehicle was brushing against overgrown bushes near the roadside. Although the driver managed to steer the taxi back into the lane, the correction only lasted briefly.
She later noticed through the rear-view mirror that the driver appeared tired and was yawning repeatedly.
Concerned for his wellbeing, she asked whether he was feeling alright and suggested that he pull over to rest.
According to the passenger, the driver replied by asking where he should stop before becoming unresponsive moments later.
She believed he may have suffered a medical emergency, although the exact cause has not been confirmed.
Passenger Forced Door Open To Slow Vehicle
As the taxi continued moving, the woman said her first instinct was to get herself and her son out of the vehicle.
However, realising the car was still in motion and she did not know how to stop it, she made a split-second decision to open the front passenger door.
She hoped the open door would create friction against roadside barriers and help slow the vehicle down.
The taxi reportedly drifted towards the centre divider before gradually coming to a stop.
A passer-by then assisted the woman and her son in exiting the vehicle safely.
Fortunately, her six-year-old son had slept through the incident and was unaware of the danger unfolding around him.
Driver Taken To Hospital
The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) confirmed it was alerted to an incident along the ECP towards the Marina Coastal Expressway at around 12.50pm.
One person was conveyed to Tan Tock Seng Hospital.
ComfortDelGro later confirmed that the taxi driver had been taken to hospital and was receiving medical treatment.
The company said it had also been in contact with the passengers involved to offer support following the incident.
Investigation Into Incident Ongoing
ComfortDelGro stated that the vehicle had been brought to a safe stop and expressed concern for both the driver and passengers.
The transport operator added that its thoughts were with the driver and his family while requesting privacy during this period.
While the cause of the medical episode remains unclear, the incident has sparked discussion online about how passengers should respond if a driver experiences a medical emergency behind the wheel.
Thankfully, no injuries to the woman or her son were reported, and the potentially serious situation ended without a major collision.