A potentially serious incident was averted on the N3 near Cliffdale in KwaZulu-Natal on Friday morning after a traffic officer spotted a truck weaving across the freeway and safely brought it to a stop, only to discover the driver was suffering a medical emergency.
The incident unfolded shortly after 8am when Mi7 Emergency Medical Services received reports that a truck driver required urgent medical assistance on the busy N3 route.
Paramedics from the Mi7 EMS base at Hibiscus Cato Ridge Hospital were immediately dispatched to the scene.
When emergency crews arrived, they found a 37-year-old truck driver lying in front of his truck after being assisted from the vehicle.
According to a traffic officer at the scene, the heavy vehicle had been observed swerving across the freeway, prompting the officer to intervene before the situation could escalate.
After safely stopping the truck and approaching the driver, the officer noticed signs that suggested the man may have suffered a seizure while behind the wheel.
The driver was helped out of the truck, but after reaching the front of the vehicle, he reportedly suffered another seizure and collapsed.
Mi7 EMS paramedics immediately began treating the patient, stabilising him at the scene before transporting him to a nearby hospital for further medical care.
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The incident serves as a reminder that medical emergencies can occur without warning, even while operating heavy vehicles. Thanks to the quick actions of the traffic officer and the rapid response from Mi7 EMS, the driver received urgent medical attention before the situation developed into what could have been a far more serious incident.
The truck did not collide with any other vehicles, and no other injuries were reported.
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