An unidentified New Jersey driver recently lost consciousness and hit a pole head-on after passing out behind the wheel. Police “believe” an N95 mask that the driver wore for hours was to blame.
The Lincoln Police Department released the following statement on their Facebook account: “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 New York Post reports, although the police are not 100% sure the mask was the cause, they do know that the driver wore the mask for hours while driving, and the police did not find any drugs or alcohol that would suggest the driver was under the influence.
Police encourage residents to follow Governor Phil Murphy’s guidelines for wearing face protection while out in public. However, the N95 mask is not necessary “while driving with no other occupants.” And advise residents, “we are not trying to cause public alarm or suggest wearing an N95 mask is unsafe,”
The driver was taken to a nearby hospital and treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
