Taxi driver faints, passenger abandons cab after collision

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Dashcam footage shows the passenger leaving the taxi that had earlier collided with the centre divider of the Benjamin Sheares Bridge.
Dashcam footage shows the passenger leaving the taxi that had earlier collided with the centre divider of the Benjamin Sheares Bridge. PHOTO: SCREENGRAB FROM FACEBOOK VIDEO/ROADS.SG

Taxi operator ComfortDelGro has apologised after one of its drivers fainted while driving on the East Coast Parkway, colliding with the centre divider and causing his passenger to alight in the middle of the expressway.

Dashcam footage of the incident, taken around 1.10pm on Friday, shows the taxi swerving in and out of the rightmost lane on the Benjamin Sheares Bridge before colliding with the centre divider of the bridge. As it slows down, its left passenger door opens and a man steps out. He closes the door and quickly moves to the side of the road.

A silver car drives into the path of the cab, but the taxi manoeuvres around it and drives off.

The taxi's passenger is soon picked up by another car.

Many netizens have expressed confusion over the incident.

Yesterday, ComfortDelGro group chief corporate communications officer Tammy Tan told The Straits Times that the cabby had "blacked out momentarily". When the driver regained consciousness, he realised that his passenger had disembarked.

"He wanted to get off the expressway to seek medical help and continued driving slowly until he was out of the expressway and at the Rochor Road exit gantry," she said. The driver then called for assistance and is currently warded in hospital for observation.

Ms Tan added that ComfortDelGro is currently in touch with the passenger who was in the taxi.

The police confirmed that a report had been lodged and are investigating the incident.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on March 11, 2019, with the headline Taxi driver faints, passenger abandons cab after collision. Subscribe