Düsseldorf: Driving instructor brakes cramping motorists

A trained driving instructor may have prevented a serious accident on a highway in Dusseldorf. The man from Mönchengladbach noticed that another driver had lost control of his car because of a seizure and was making snaking lines, the police report.

The 40-year-old driving instructor had then overtaken the car of the 29-year-old with his small car, sat down in front of him and slowly braked until both cars came to a halt on the central bus bar.

Although both cars had to be towed, the 29-year-old could be admitted to hospital and is stable. The police praised the behavior of the 40-year-old as "selfless, professional and courageous".

However, it was not the first spectacular rescue operation of its kind in Germany. Already in February 2017, a man near Munich had slowed down an out-of-control car whose driver was also suffering from health problems.

Because the car of the rescuer, a Tesla electric limousine, had been damaged by the action, Tesla boss Elon Musk on Twitter assured a few days later to pay for the repair costs. The driving instructor, who became a hero in Düsseldorf, drove a Volkswagen. Whether the German carmaker also comes up for the cost of the collision is not clear.