Singapore – Video footage of a Mercedes-Benz inching out of its lane, causing an incoming vehicle to flip into the air is circulating online. The video has garnered scrutiny from the online community as to who was at fault.
Facebook page ROADS.sg uploaded a video on Tuesday (Nov 10) of the road accident that occurred at Upper Bukit Timah Road outside MINDEF (Ministry of Defence). The caption reads: “Merc driver changes lane abruptly without checking, colliding into other car and causing it to flip up. The flipped car hits another car to its side, which prevents it from overturning completely.”
At the beginning of the video, the Mercedes could be spotted exiting its lane due to to the congested lanes up ahead. As the sedan enters the lane to its left, an oncoming vehicle fails to stop and crashes into the Mercedes. Meanwhile, another car on the far left lane prevents the vehicle from making a 180-degree flip.
The vehicle’s bumper detaches and falls to the ground while the Mercedes bumps into a different car on its right.
Members from the online community were quick to comment on the footage, noting it was not entirely the Mercedes’ driver’s fault. The video shows the Mercedes had inched out of its lane already and did not do so abruptly.
“There has been sufficient time for him (the flipped vehicle) to apply the emergency brake. It seemed like his eyes were somewhere else,” noted Facebook user Henry Quek. “Any driver with sound of mind will anticipate and apply the brake if eyes were set on the front view.”
Furthermore, many highlighted that the particular area frequently experiences emergency braking and road accident near misses. Facebook user Thomas Cristian Tan explained that to go straight, a driver would usually use the first two lanes. However, because of the traffic, drivers would switch to the third lane and try to cut or overtake. “But when they realise they are stuck because there are cars turning to MINDEF, impatient drivers will cut back to lane two without checking.”
Still, others hoped that more road users would practice extra patience and caution, especially in such areas with heavy congestion as this approach could help avoid accidents altogether.
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