Kota kinabalu: Failure to shift the gear into the 'P' (Park) position while attempting to switch drivers caused a sports utility vehicle (SUV) to crash into the glass doors of the Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA) Departure Hall last Friday.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Kota Kinabalu police chief ACP Shahrudin Mat Husain said the incident occurred at about 4.55 pm after the 66-year-old woman driving the SUV stopped in the vehicle lane outside the KKIA terminal to pick up her son. The woman was attempting to switch drivers when she was believed to have forgotten to engage the 'P' gear, causing the vehicle to move slowly.

'The driver then panicked and accidentally stepped on the accelerator, causing the SUV to surge forward. It collided with another vehicle before veering off course, crashing through the glass doors of the KKIA Departure Hall and subsequently hitting a building pillar,' Shahrudin said in a statement today.

The driver managed to get out of the vehicle before the collision but sustained minor facial injuries from flying glass shards and was taken to Queen Elizabeth Hospital I for further treatment. The case is being investigated under Rule 10 of the Road Traffic Rules 1959 (LN 166/59), under the Road Transport Act 1987.

Police advised motorists to always ensure their vehicles are securely parked before leaving them and to exercise caution while driving to prevent untoward incidents.