Bus ends up on wrong side of road after driver felt dizzy

The service 72 bus had been travelling along Yio Chu Kang Road at around 10am yesterday when the bus captain "suddenly felt dizzy for a few seconds". He then recovered and stopped the bus. No passenger was hurt.
The service 72 bus had been travelling along Yio Chu Kang Road at around 10am yesterday when the bus captain "suddenly felt dizzy for a few seconds". He then recovered and stopped the bus. No passenger was hurt. ST PHOTO: YAP LI YIN

A double-decker bus veered off its path and ended on the wrong side of the road yesterday after its driver suffered a dizzy spell and drove against traffic along Yio Chu Kang Road.

Video footage of the incident which circulated on social media showed the SBS Transit bus stationary in the middle lane and facing traffic.

Its front windscreen was damaged and the front bumper was scratched and broken. A green metal rod appeared to be lodged in one of the cracks in the windscreen.

In response to queries, SBS Transit's senior vice-president of corporate communications Tammy Tan told The Straits Times the service 72 bus had been travelling along Yio Chu Kang Road at around 10am when the bus captain "suddenly felt dizzy for a few seconds".

In those seconds, the bus veered from its path and ended on the other side of the road.

Ms Tan said the bus captain recovered within seconds and brought the bus to a halt. "We are extremely thankful that no passenger was hurt as a result. We would also like to thank a gentleman on board who extended care and assistance to our bus captain," she added.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force said it responded to the incident and dispatched an ambulance to the scene. The 54-year-old bus captain was taken conscious to Tan Tock Seng Hospital.

According to Ms Tan, he is undergoing tests in hospital. He had been certified fit to drive after his annual medical review last month.

"We are in close contact with him while he is receiving medical attention," she added.

Police investigations are ongoing.

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Video of damaged bus at accident site. str.sg/4aFs

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on July 08, 2017, with the headline Bus ends up on wrong side of road after driver felt dizzy. Subscribe