A 66-year-old Grab driver was sent to the hospital on Monday (16 March) after being involved in an accident in Tanjong Rhu.
He had been struggling to breathe before suddenly launching his vehicle into a traffic light, said his passenger, who described the incident in a XiaoHongShu post.
Source: 菜菜曦 on XiaoHongShu
As the car was waiting at a traffic light, the driver started coughing incessantly.
This led the passenger and her friend to suspect something was wrong.
When the car started inching forward despite the light still being red, her friend patted the driver to ask if he was okay.
The driver appeared to be struggling to breathe and was starting to lose consciousness.
After they patted him a few more times, the driver appeared to regain consciousness.
However, he suddenly stepped on the accelerator, causing the car to slam into a traffic light.
Source: 菜菜曦 on XiaoHongShu
After the crash, the driver regained consciousness and kept apologising, the passenger said.
He also said he would reverse out, but they told him not to move and alighted from the car.
The incident caused the passenger to contemplate the fragility of life, saying they could have died in the crash.
She was thankful that no one was injured.
Additionally, no oncoming trucks or vehicles were travelling at high speed, she said.
She also wondered what back-seat passengers could do when something like this happened, and advised passengers to always wear their seatbelts.
In response to queries from MS News, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) said it was alerted to the accident at 9.30pm on 16 March.
It took place at the junction of Tanjong Rhu Road, Meyer Road and Fort Road, and involved a car that had self-skidded.
The driver, a 66-year-old man, was sent to the hospital in a conscious state.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF), which was alerted at the same time, told MS News that he was conveyed to Tan Tock Seng Hospital.
Source: 菜菜曦 on XiaoHongShu
He is also assisting with police investigations, which are ongoing.
Later, the passenger said she contacted Grab after she got home and was told by customer service that they would contact the driver to confirm the incident.
But up till she fell asleep at around midnight, the app showed that her trip was “active”.
The next day, she received an email from Grab, apologising for the incident and refunding her for the trip.
Source: 菜菜曦 on XiaoHongShu
A Grab spokesperson, replying to MS News queries, said its driver-partner suffered a sudden medical emergency during the trip.
He is now recovering, and Grab is managing his insurance documentation and waiving his rental charges.
Grab drivers enjoy subsidised healthcare and health screenings under the GrabBenefits programme. The spokesperson thus advised drivers to prioritise their health and make full use of these resources.
The company has reached out to the passengers “to better understand their experience and ensure they are okay”, and has also issued a full refund to her, the spokesperson noted, adding:
This was a serious and distressing event for both the passenger and our driver-partner. Our immediate priority is ensuring both individuals are supported.
Grab is committed to supporting both the passenger and its driver-partner throughout their recovery, the spokesperson concluded.
Also read: 23-year-old woman dies after private-hire vehicle crashes into bus in Yishun
Have news you must share? Get in touch with us via email at news@mustsharenews.com.
Featured image adapted from 菜菜曦 on XiaoHongShu.