Users of social media platform TikTok praised the men who intervened, calling them heroes.
Motorists ran along a motorway to chase an out-of-control car after its driver suffered a medical event during rush hour.
Yesterday morning’s incident on Auckland’s Northwestern Motorway near the Great North Rd ramps was caught on video, showing somebody’s legs dangling from the driver’s window.
It appears the person sticking through the window was steering the car towards the motorway shoulder while two tradesmen banged on the other side of the car to alert the driver.
One of the tradesmen tried to open the passenger door of the hatchback but could not get in. The car continued to the leftmost barrier, where it came to a stop.
Motorists run along Auckland's Northwestern Motorway chasing an out-of-control car after its driver suffered a reported medical event,
The car continues to the leftmost barrier, where it comes to a stop.
A line of traffic was held up behind the incident.
Motorists caught behind it could be seen warning others to slow down and were flashing their hazard lights.
Jeff Benjamin, who ran down the road and was seen dangling out of the car, told the Herald his wife initially spotted what was happening.
“I jumped through his driver’s window to grab the handbrake and slow him down and move him to the side,” he said.
“By then, a couple of guys from Asplundh had come running. We decided to leave him in the car because it was safer but then one of the guys noticed he wasn’t breathing.
“So we got him out of the car, lay him down behind and before we decided to do CPR, he had a little vomit, started breathing again but had a little seizure.”
Benjamin said the four guys held him down and stopped him from going on the motorway.
“He came to and tried to run away, so we had to hold him down for a good 15 minutes. By the time he had calmed down, a police officer had arrived.”
A police spokesman said they received reports of a driver suffering a suspected medical event on the motorway about 8.18am.
“Motorways staff responded and provided assistance ahead of ambulance arrival,” the spokesman said.
The driver, a man, was taken to Auckland City Hospital in a moderate condition, he said.
Social media users praised the men who intervened, lauding them as heroes.
“Shout out to the bro with his legs out the window. You are a real one for that. And the other bros that helped,” one person said.
One woman commenting on the incident said she was glad to see people helping and withholding judgment given her son with epilepsy had just got his licence.
