SINGAPORE, July 9 — A taxi ride from Changi Airport to Lavender turned into a frightening ordeal when the driver lost consciousness on the East Coast Parkway, forcing passenger Winnie Lee to act quickly to bring the vehicle to a halt.
The incident occurred on July 6 as Lee, 36, was travelling with her six year old son, The Straits Times (ST) reported.
She said she first noticed branches from the bushes brushing against the taxi’s windows as the vehicle had drifted towards the divider. Although the driver corrected course, Lee thought he looked sleepy. Concerned, she tried speaking to him and asked him to stop, but his confused reply was the last response before the taxi began veering back towards the barrier.
“I was in panic mode. I did not know what to do. At that point, I thought of jumping out of the car,” she told ST.
Lee explained that she managed to slow the taxi by forcing her door against the barrier to create friction, before the vehicle gradually came to a halt. Another motorist, who had seen the taxi swerving, stopped to assist her and her son.
Police said they were alerted at about 12.50pm, while the Singapore Civil Defence Force confirmed the 73 year old driver was taken unconscious to Tan Tock Seng Hospital, where he remained in that condition as of July 8.
ComfortDelGro said the driver was receiving medical attention.
“Our thoughts are with him and his family at this time, and we kindly request that their privacy be respected,” the company stated.
Authorities confirmed investigations are ongoing.