New Jersey cabbie wearing N95 mask for hours passes out at the wheel, crashes head-on into pole
A driver from New Jersey reportedly crashed into a pole on Thursday, April 23, after he passed out from wearing an N95 mask for hours on end. The person, who was not identified, was driving in Lincoln Park, New Jersey in a red vehicle when it crashed head-on into the pole after becoming unconscious due to lack of oxygen, reports state.
The Lincoln Park Police Department took to Facebook to report the incident, writing: "The LPPD responded to a lone occupant single car motor vehicle crash yesterday. The crash is believed to have resulted from the driver wearing an N95 mask for several hours and subsequently passing out behind the wheel due to insufficient oxygen intake/excessive carbon dioxide intake."
The authorities rushed the driver to the hospital, where he was treated for non-life threatening injuries and is expected to be okay, according to the Daily Mail.
The police department added that circumstantial evidence from the scene suggested that the driver was not under the influence while driving. "We also know that nothing was uncovered at the accident scene that would suggest that the driver was under the influence of drugs or alcohol," the department, in the Facebook post, wrote.
"While we don't know [the cause] with 100% certainty, we do know that the driver had been wearing an N95 mask inside the vehicle for several hours and ultimately passed out while operating the vehicle," the department added.
The police department also warned residents from prolonged use of N95 masks and offered guidelines for safely protecting oneself from the deadly novel coronavirus, which has ravaged the state of New Jersey and neighboring New York, with the latter being the epicenter of Covid-19 in the United States.
"Motorists and the public alike are reminded that while masks should be used in public settings to help prevent the spread of Covid-19, they are not necessary outdoors when social distancing can be maintained, and especially not necessary when driving a vehicle with no additional occupants," the department said in its social media post.
The LPPD later updated its post after users asked multiple questions about the safety of the N95 masks, which are meant to protect from transmitting and contracting the novel coronavirus infection.
"Considering the overwhelming response this post has received, the following should be said. NJ residents should absolutely continue to follow the directives regarding face coverings put in place by our Governor," the police department's statement stated.
"As it relates to this specific incident, we reiterate that police officers are not physicians and do not know the medical history of every person we encounter. We conduct accident scene investigations using training, experience, and observations at the scene to determine a cause," the post added.
The novel coronavirus cases in the United States stands over 943,865 as of Sunday, April 26, while the number of deaths was recorded at 54,480, according to the Johns Hopkins University data. There is no known cure for the deadly infection, and no officially-approved vaccine is available in the world market yet.