Experts: Exiting car on expressway is extremely dangerous

What do you do when the driver of the vehicle you are in suddenly shows signs of being unwell or even loses conciousness?

Last Friday, a ComfortDelGro passenger on Benjamin Sheares Bridge alighted from the moving taxi when the driver "blacked out momentarily".

Ms Tammy Tan, group chief corporate communications officer at ComfortDelGro said passengers should refrain from exiting taxis on expressways.

She said: "Alighting from the vehicle in the middle of the highway is very dangerous, and passengers are advised to stay in the vehicle and call for assistance."

She also added that passengers can call the ComfortDelGro call centre for assistance and that a replacement taxi will be arranged for them.

ComfortDelGro and ride-sharing company Grab told The New Paper there are measures in place to ensure that their drivers are healthy when they drive.

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As part of regulatory requirements, ComfortDelgro drivers must pass a health check-up for the renewal of their Taxi Driver's Vocational Licence.

Grab also uses a smart fatigue monitoring system to remind drivers to take a break.

Alighting from a moving vehicle is extremely dangerous, especially on an expressway, road safety experts say.

Mr Bernard Tay, chairman of the Singapore Road Safety Council, said: "You should not come out of the car on the expressway where you are exposed to fast vehicles in all directions."

He said the passenger should instead try to switch on the hazard lights and reach for the steering wheel if possible.

Mr Gerard Pereira, Singapore Safety Driving Centre training manager, said that depending on the position of the driver with respect to the steering wheel, it might be difficult for the passenger to reach it.

Another option is pulling the handbrake to try to stop the car.

But Mr Tay said there are several situations where doing so will cause more danger.

He said: "If you are going very fast, pulling the handbrake may cause the car to spin. Even if you are going slowly, if you pull the handbrake suddenly, a car behind may hit your rear."

Mr Pereira said it will be hard to do anything if the driver's foot is on the accelerator.