Traffic Jam Miracle on the Way to Work: Police Transport Emergency Patient in 10 Minutes

Female Passenger Faces Emergency Due to Panic Disorder and Hypotension
Usually 30-Minute Commute Completed in 10 Minutes During Rush Hour

Seoul Police Facebook video capture

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Byung-don] The story of a young woman who suddenly suffered from panic disorder on her way to work and was transported to the hospital thanks to the quick response of the police was revealed later.

According to the Yangcheon Police Station in Seoul on the 4th, a taxi driver reported that a passenger was in distress near Sinwol IC on the Gyeongin Expressway in Seoul around 8 a.m. on the 28th of last month. At the time of the report, the female passenger was in urgent need of hospital transport as she was unable to control her body properly due to panic disorder.

The police who responded to the report arrived at the scene and began escorting the taxi. Although the distance to a nearby general hospital closest to the accident site was only about 5 to 6 km, the road was heavily congested like a parking lot due to entering an underpass and the rush hour traffic.

Seoul Police Facebook video capture

To make matters worse, lane reductions caused by demolition work on the nearby Mokdong Bridge led to severe traffic jams, making it generally take more than 30 minutes to reach the hospital. However, thanks to the police escort, drivers on their way to work moved their vehicles to the roadside as if by agreement, yielding the path as much as possible, allowing the passenger to be transported to the hospital in just 10 minutes.

When arriving at the hospital, the female passenger was conscious but barely able to communicate, and her blood pressure had dropped significantly, requiring urgent treatment. The passenger, who arrived at the hospital in time due to the quick response of the traffic safety officers from the Yangcheon Police Station who were dispatched to the scene, was treated and safely returned home.

The police officer who was dispatched to the scene at the time said in a phone interview with Asia Economy, “The taxi driver reported that the patient’s condition was very bad, so I only thought about transporting her quickly and safely by any means,” adding, “I just responded to the report, but any police officer would have done the same.”