Life saving tips - what you can do if the driver of the car you're in passes out
18 Oct 2019|29,402 views
You are in the passenger seat while you notice your driver passed out and lost control of the vehicle. This sounds like a nasty nightmare or a scene straight out of Hollywood.
While it is something that is highly unlikely to happen to you, this was what happened on 1 October, when a selfless Singaporean used his car to block an out-of-control taxi so as to save the cab's four passengers.
So, what should you do if you find yourself in the unlikely position? Here are several tips on what you can try to do when you face such a situation.
1. Do not turn off the engine!


This will make the steering much heavier and make steering the car near impossible. You will also need to step much harder on the brakes for them to work!
If you turn the key completely off, or remove the key from the ignition barrel, you might even activate the steering lock, preventing you from steering the car!
2. Do not jump out of the car!


Nope, there's simply so many things that can go wrong if you were to jump out of a moving car.
Even if you are able to avoid getting hit by another passing vehicle, who's to say that you wouldn't land head first and sustain severe injuries?
3. Alert other road users of your predicament


You should turn on the hazard lights, and sound the horn to get the attention of other road users. Winding down your windows and raising your hand helps, too.
Other road users will be able to either give you the space you need to slow the car down and stop it, or in the above-mentioned case, render assistance to stop the car.
4. Try to take over control of the vehicle


If you have no intention to slam headfirst into a road divider, you'll need to do something to reduce the chance of a serious accident occuring.
The first thing to do, is to reach over and try to steer the car to safety. Additionally, you should try to get the driver's foot off the accelerator.
5. Stop the car from gaining speed


There's still a way. If it is a car with manual transmission, you can shift the gear to neutral, cutting power from being sent to the wheels. Shifting an automatic to 'N' will achieve the same effect.
While the car will not stop immediately, it will not continue to accelerate, thus reducing the chance of a serious accident occuring.
6. Try to slow the car down to a stop


Of course, unless you are really flexible, or have a pair of really long legs, it is easier said than done.
Hence, you should also use the handbrake (if the car has one at the centre console area) to gradually slow the car down - don't yank at it, you might lock up the wheels and unsettle the car!
When you finally get the car to stop safely, you should engage the handbrake and turn the ignition off, to prevent any possibility of the car moving off again. With the car stopped, you can now contact emergency services.
Here are some related articles that might interest you
Watch out for these speed camera hotspots in Singapore
How to drive safely on the roads in Singapore
Got into an accident? here's how to ensure a smooth insurance claim process
Don't get caught without proper insurance coverage!
Here's how to drive through flooded roads
You are in the passenger seat while you notice your driver passed out and lost control of the vehicle. This sounds like a nasty nightmare or a scene straight out of Hollywood.
While it is something that is highly unlikely to happen to you, this was what happened on 1 October, when a selfless Singaporean used his car to block an out-of-control taxi so as to save the cab's four passengers.
So, what should you do if you find yourself in the unlikely position? Here are several tips on what you can try to do when you face such a situation.
1. Do not turn off the engine!


This will make the steering much heavier and make steering the car near impossible. You will also need to step much harder on the brakes for them to work!
If you turn the key completely off, or remove the key from the ignition barrel, you might even activate the steering lock, preventing you from steering the car!
2. Do not jump out of the car!


Nope, there's simply so many things that can go wrong if you were to jump out of a moving car.
Even if you are able to avoid getting hit by another passing vehicle, who's to say that you wouldn't land head first and sustain severe injuries?
3. Alert other road users of your predicament


You should turn on the hazard lights, and sound the horn to get the attention of other road users. Winding down your windows and raising your hand helps, too.
Other road users will be able to either give you the space you need to slow the car down and stop it, or in the above-mentioned case, render assistance to stop the car.
4. Try to take over control of the vehicle


While you might not be able to stop the car immediately, you can still reach out to steer away from dangerous situations
If you have no intention to slam headfirst into a road divider, you'll need to do something to reduce the chance of a serious accident occuring.
The first thing to do, is to reach over and try to steer the car to safety. Additionally, you should try to get the driver's foot off the accelerator.
5. Stop the car from gaining speed


There's still a way. If it is a car with manual transmission, you can shift the gear to neutral, cutting power from being sent to the wheels. Shifting an automatic to 'N' will achieve the same effect.
While the car will not stop immediately, it will not continue to accelerate, thus reducing the chance of a serious accident occuring.
6. Try to slow the car down to a stop


Of course, unless you are really flexible, or have a pair of really long legs, it is easier said than done.
Hence, you should also use the handbrake (if the car has one at the centre console area) to gradually slow the car down - don't yank at it, you might lock up the wheels and unsettle the car!
When you finally get the car to stop safely, you should engage the handbrake and turn the ignition off, to prevent any possibility of the car moving off again. With the car stopped, you can now contact emergency services.
Here are some related articles that might interest you
Watch out for these speed camera hotspots in Singapore
How to drive safely on the roads in Singapore
Got into an accident? here's how to ensure a smooth insurance claim process
Don't get caught without proper insurance coverage!
Here's how to drive through flooded roads