N95 Mask-Wearing Morris Co. Driver Passes Out, Crashes Car: Cops

LINCOLN PARK, NJ - Insufficient oxygen may have caused a crash in Lincoln Park on Thursday involving a driver who was wearing an N95 mask, according to the Lincoln Park Police Department.

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According to authorities, police responded to a lone occupant single car motor vehicle crash and noted they believed it resulted from the driver wearing an N95 mask for several hours and subsequently passing out behind the wheel due to insufficient oxygen intake and excessive carbon dioxide intake.

Police said they want to remind residents that while masks should be used in public settings to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, they are not necessary outdoors when social distancing can be maintained, and especially not necessary when driving a vehicle with no additional occupants.

Lincoln Park Police also released a statement Friday saying that residents and motorists should "absolutely"continue to follow the directives on face covering.

"Police officers are not physicians and do not know the medical history of every person we encounter. We conduct accident scene investigations using training, experience and observations at the scene to determine a cause," the statement said, noting that they believe the excessive wearing of an N95 mask was a contributing factor to this accident.

"While we don't know this with 100 percent certainty, we do know that the driver had been wearing an N95 mask inside the vehicle for several hours and ultimately passed out while operating the vehicle. We also know that nothing was uncovered at the accident scene that would suggest that the driver was under the influence of drugs or alcohol. All this being said, It is certainly possible that some other medical reason could've contributed to the driver passing out. We are not trying to cause public alarm or suggest wearing an N95 mask is unsafe."

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