Malaysian driver slammed for not honking at fellow driver who fell asleep at the wheel

An accident was unfolding right before his eyes.

But instead of helping a fellow motorist out, a driver pulled out his mobile phone to record the moment when a white sedan crashed into a lorry.

Just a honk would have been enough to rouse the 'microsleeping' driver, Twitter users reasoned after watching the video clip.

Microsleep happens when a person dozes off for brief moments without even realising it.

In the clip, there were signs that the driver was in need of help — the car had been drifting between lanes without signalling.

Seconds later, it picked up speed and collided into the side of a lorry, sending both vehicles veering off the road and crashing into the divider.

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Since @My_CrimeWatch posted the clip on Twitter on Sept 7, it has racked up over 900,000 views and a barrage of angry comments.

According to The Star, the accident took place on the North-South Expressway near Kerpala Batas on April 2, 2018. 

The 27-year-old driver dozed off before hitting a lorry carrying eggs that morning, the police said.

Thousands of eggs were smashed, leaving a mess on the road. Fortunately, the lorry driver only suffered minor injuries while the car driver was unhurt.

Drivers are no strangers to episodes of microsleep, according to the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research.

A study conducted in 2011 revealed that 54 per cent of drivers surveyed admitted they were involved in an accident after dozing off at the wheel. 61 per cent of drivers said they almost got into an accident while they were sleepy.

But not all cases of driver drowsiness are caused by fatigue, experts said. Other reasons include health conditions such as diabetes, sleep apnea, insomnia, and narcolepsy.

If drivers find themselves nodding off while on the road, it is recommended that they take a quick 20-minute power nap before continuing on their way.

After all, motorists are all counting on each other to travel safely to their destinations.

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lamminlee@asiaone.com