“It Happened to Me”: Durban Gent Shows Driver Asleep While Waiting at a Red Robot

• A Durban driving instructor shared viral footage showing a driver who had fallen asleep in his car while stopped at a red traffic light
• The video shows the Good Samaritan knocking on the sleeping driver's window multiple times before finally waking him up and telling him to move along
• South Africans debated whether filming was appropriate, with many praising the man for bringing awareness to the dangers of driving while fatigued
• Briefly News spoke to medical expert Jayshri Ranagasamy regarding how to determine whether you are just tired or very fatigued

A Durban driving instructor has sparked important conversations about road safety after sharing a video of a driver who fell asleep at a red robot.

The footage, posted on 12 September 2025 by Facebook user @gcinafakude.kinati, shows the moment he discovered another motorist fast asleep in his vehicle while waiting at traffic lights.

The video begins with the Good Samaritan stepping out of his own car and approaching the stationary vehicle. After knocking on the window several times, the sleeping driver finally wakes up, clearly confused about his surroundings. The person filming tells the drowsy driver to wake up and move along, and the video ends with the driver rolling up his window.

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According to comments on the post, the incident happened in a dangerous area where the sleeping driver was lucky that nothing worse happened to him. Many viewers noted that the driver must have been there for quite some time for someone to notice he wasn't responding to the traffic light changes.

The video quickly went viral, receiving thousands of comments from South Africans who shared their own experiences with driving fatigue and debated whether filming the incident was the right thing to do.

South Africans react to sleeping driver

@Bhele_Langa_Dlambulo defended:

"There's nothing wrong with what the guy did by taking a video, let's stop criticising everything. This video is very good for educational purposes. There is someone like me who likes to drive alone, even if I'm tired, I will just say I'm almost there, and that can cost lives. Thanks, brother."

@Jerry_Jerry agreed:

"The guy was only helping; this driver could have been hijacked, but I see lots of attacks here."

@Le_Jordan_Campbell suggested:

"At this point, just pull into a garage parking, lock the doors and sleep."

@Thabo_Malekere_Monwa warned:

"Fatigue is not child's play. I once was in this situation."

@Nonjabulo_Dladla_II joked:

"Knocking on the window when he has an open window is crazy🤣"

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@Nomsa_Mmaborokwanayomontle_Nonovi shared:

"I once dozed off while driving... And I saw why we need potholes... I banged into one hella of a pothole. I got a fright of my life, I woke up till nvifika ekhaya."

Why is driving when sleepy dangerous

According to experts at Banner Health, drowsy driving causes serious accidents and deaths every year. When people drive while tired, they have trouble paying attention, slower reaction times, and difficulty making good decisions. Being awake for 20 hours is comparable to having a blood alcohol level of 0.08%, which is the legal limit in most places.

Signs of fatigue include yawning, trouble keeping eyes open, difficulty focusing, nodding off, and drifting between lanes. Most adults need seven to nine hours of sleep to be well-rested, and this sleep debt cannot be made up.

Drivers should take breaks every two hours during long trips and avoid driving during times when they would normally be sleeping, especially between midnight and 6 am when most crashes occur.

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Speaking to Briefly News writer, Nerissa Naidoo, medical expert Jayshri Rangasamy discussed how to determine whether you are just tired and very fatigued, so much that you would fall asleep when driving. She said:

"Tiredness is a temporary feeling of needing rest, often relieved by short breaks or sleep, while fatigue is a deeper, more persistent exhaustion that significantly impairs physical and mental functioning. When it comes to driving, fatigue is far more dangerous as it slows reaction time, reduces attention and decision-making ability, and can lead to microsleeps, lane drifting, and poor coordination, like the effects of alcohol. Unlike tiredness, fatigue isn’t easily fixed with quick remedies like caffeine or short naps and poses a serious risk to road safety. Recognising signs like heavy eyelids, forgetfulness, and slow responses is crucial before getting behind the wheel."

Watch the Facebook reel below:

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Updated by Hilary Sekgota, Human Interest HOD at Briefly News.

Source: Briefly News