SINGAPORE: A 55-year-old woman who allegedly ran a red light along Sims Avenue and struck a motorcyclist in a hit-and-run incident last November was charged in court on Tuesday (May 21).
Under Singapore law, motorists convicted of dangerous driving that causes serious injuries face between one and five years in jail. They will also be disqualified from driving all types of vehicles for at least eight years. If they reoffend, the jail term rises to between two and ten years, with the same minimum period of disqualification.
Five other drivers are also set to be charged on May 21 over separate hit-and-run incidents.
One of them is a 79-year-old man accused of knocking down a motorcyclist along Springside Drive on August 6 last year, then leaving the scene without offering help.
Another case involves a 38-year-old driver who was allegedly changing lanes along Airport Road on December 9, 2024, when he collided with a motorcyclist. He too is said to have driven off without assisting the injured rider.
Both men are expected to face charges of driving without due care and attention causing grievous hurt, failing to stop after an accident, and failing to render assistance.
The woman was driving a BMW on the morning of November 19, 2024, when she failed to stop at a red light and crashed into a 58-year-old motorcyclist, causing him to fall onto the road. The rider was conscious when paramedics took him to Raffles Hospital for treatment.
Footage of the incident circulated online shortly after it happened, prompting public concern. The driver was arrested the following day.
She now faces multiple charges: dangerous driving causing grievous hurt, failing to stop after an accident, failing to render assistance to the injured motorcyclist, failing to report the incident within 24 hours, and unlawfully moving a vehicle involved in an accident.
Under Singapore law, motorists convicted of dangerous driving that causes serious injuries face between one and five years in jail. They will also be disqualified from driving all types of vehicles for at least eight years. If they reoffend, the jail term rises to between two and ten years, with the same minimum period of disqualification.
Five other drivers were also charged on Tuesday over separate hit-and-run incidents.
One of them is a 79-year-old man accused of knocking down a motorcyclist along Springside Drive on August 6 last year, then leaving the scene without offering help.
In another incident, a 38-year-old driver was said to be changing lanes along Airport Road on December 9 last year when he hit a motorcyclist. Instead of stopping to help, he allegedly left the scene.
Both he and the 79-year-old driver will face charges for causing grievous hurt by driving without due care and attention, failing to stop after an accident, and failing to assist the injured motorcyclist.
Driving without due care or reasonable consideration resulting in grievous hurt can lead to a fine of up to \$5,000, a jail term of up to two years, or both. Motorists convicted of this offence will also be disqualified from driving for at least five years. Repeat offenders face harsher penalties, including a fine of up to \$10,000, up to four years’ jail, or both.
Other charges that some of the motorists face—such as failing to stop after an accident, failing to make a police report within 24 hours, or moving a vehicle without lawful authority—carry penalties of up to \$1,000 in fines, three months’ jail, or both. For second or subsequent convictions, the maximum fines and jail terms are doubled.
Failing to render aid to an injured party carries even stiffer penalties: up to \$3,000 in fines or 12 months’ jail, or both. Repeat offenders can be fined up to \$5,000 or jailed for up to two years, or both, and face disqualification from driving for at least 12 months.
The authorities continue to remind motorists that remaining at the scene of an accident and rendering aid to injured parties is not only a legal obligation, but a moral one.