An 89-year-old woman taking a public bus in Bukit Batok ended up in hospital as the driver moved off before she was seated.

Previously mobile and independent, the senior, surnamed Ho, is now in a wheelchair with a head injury from the fall.

In response to Mothership's enquiries, the bus company, Tower Transit, apologised for the incident and said they have since disciplined the bus captain involved.

The accident

The woman's granddaughter, Geraldine Toh, told Mothership that the accident happened on the morning of Jan. 6.

Ho, who stays in Bukit Batok with Toh's uncle and aunt, was heading to Beauty World with Toh's aunt to run some errands.

At around 10:45am, the pair boarded bus 173 at the bus stop opposite the Hillbrooks condominium.

Ho boarded first.

However, as she was walking over to find a seat, the driver accelerated.

Ho was holding on to a hand rail at the time, but the movement of the bus caused her to lose her grip.

"My aunty couldn't even catch her in time," Toh said.

Ho fell on her back, with her head, shoulder and hip hitting the ground.

Her walking stick also broke in the fall.

Hospitalised for 6 days

Toh's aunt said that following the accident, the driver didn't apologise to them, or leave his seat to offer assistance.

She only remembers that he asked if there was a need to call an ambulance.

This angered Toh's aunt, who scolded him for driving off hastily.

The pair were subsequently brought in an ambulance to Ng Teng Fong General Hospital.

Ho was diagnosed with a head injury from the fall and hospitalised for six days.

Toh acknowledged that bus drivers may feel an urgency to abide by their schedule, but said they should make it a point to ensure elderly passengers are seated before driving off.

"It's not like the old lady is going to take another 10 minutes to [find her seat], right? It's just another minute, so what difference is that going to make?" she said.

Toh also pointed out that Singapore has an ageing population, and not all seniors have children or grandchildren to accompany them on public transport.

Loss of mobility

Toh said she is thankful that the fall didn't lead to complications such as fractures or blood clots.

However, Ho is still in pain from the accident.

She now relies on a wheelchair to get around, and has to attend weekly physiotherapy sessions until she recovers her strength.

Toh said it was frustrating to see her usually active grandmother lose her mobility so suddenly.

Prior to the accident, Ho was able to cook for the household, take bus rides by herself and even travel on family holidays.

Now, she is learning to walk again and needs assistance with daily living activities such as showering and using the toilet.

Despite the accident, Toh said her grandmother remains jovial.

In hospital, when she asked Ho about the fall, the latter laughed it off.

Bus captain's actions "falls short of our standards": Tower Transit

In a statement on Jan. 16, a Tower Transit spokesperson apologised over the matter, and clarified that it was a "failure" on the part of the bus captain.

“We’re really sorry that Mdm Ho was injured on our bus. Our bus captain failed to wait till she was seated before moving off, causing her to lose her balance and fall. This is not in line with our training and falls short of our standards," the spokesperson said.

The company has since disciplined the bus captain involved.

Tower Transit has also put out a reminder for all staff to ensure vulnerable passengers, including seniors, people with disabilities and pregnant women, are seated or secure before moving off.

"At Mdm Ho’s age, any fall can cause significant injuries. We are glad this was not the case, and we are in touch with her family to assist with her medical claims and offer our support," the spokesperson added.

"We wish her a speedy recovery and sincerely hope that she will feel well enough to take the bus again soon.”

Hopes bus companies can also incentivise drivers

The company has also reached out to Toh to apologise.

They also offered her a hamper and are liaising with her on the insurance claims, she said.

While glad to have some closure to the matter, Toh hopes the driver will not be fired.

Rather, she hopes that bus companies could consider incentivising good service from drivers instead.

"It would be good if they implemented some constructive measures where drivers are recognised, such as monetary bonus or extra days off for good ratings from passengers," she suggested.

Top image from Jason Fox / Facebook.