Cabby, 66, dies after getting caught between moving taxi’s door and frame, he was trying to help offload luggage
A taxi driver who was trying to help his passengers offload their luggage was killed in a freak accident after he was trapped between the door and the door frame of his vehicle as it moved forward and collided with a parked lorry.
A coroner’s inquiry on Sept 24 into the death of Tee Chin Teong, 66, revealed that the incident happened at 12.50am on Feb 24, 2025 along Jalan Besar, Shin Min Daily News reported.
The court heard from a traffic police investigator that Tee had earlier picked up two passengers from Changi Airport and driven them to their residence near The Noble Hotel.
A hotel employee reportedly saw the taxi stop outside the hotel and two passengers alighting. Tee then opened the door and had his right foot on the road when his taxi moved forward, colliding with the left side of the parked lorry’s rear.
The employee added that Tee’s head and upper body were trapped between the taxi’s open door and its door frame.
One of the passengers rushed to help, reaching into the vehicle and shifting the gear from Drive to Park.
When paramedics arrived at the scene, Tee was still trapped between the car door and its frame. The door was also bent inwards as a result of the collision with the lorry.
The autopsy report revealed that the primary cause of Tee’s death was traumatic asphyxia and severe facial trauma.
Accident unlikely to be caused by fatigue
An investigator from the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) said that fatigue was not a likely cause of the accident as Tee had started driving for only an hour before the incident. It was also revealed that Tee had 12 years of experience as a taxi driver and had possessed a driving license for 42 years.
It is believed that Tee forgot to shift the gear to park as he was in a hurry to exit the car to help with the luggage.
The inquiry also revealed that although the taxi was equipped with an electronic parking brake, it could not be engaged while the vehicle was in the Drive gear.
An operational test could not be conducted as the front of the taxi was too badly damaged, although inspections revealed no defects in its braking system, steering system, and related components.
The coroner will reveal the findings of the inquiry at a later date.
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