Six sent to hospital after lorry carrying migrant workers mounts kerb and knocks down lamppost

SINGAPORE: Six individuals have been conveyed to the hospital after a lorry carrying a number of migrant workers mounted a kerb and knocked down a street lamppost as it drove along the grass patch between the road and the sidewalk, in an accident on Saturday (Apr 15).

The SG Road Vigilante Facebook page, which posted a video of the incident online, said that the incident around 6.58 pm, in the Buangkok Green area.

The driver, whose dashboard camera captured the incident, said: “Accident of lorry carrying labour workers right in front of me today. Not sure if driver too tired or meant to park lorry on the grass but overshot without braking in time. Wish fast recovery for the injured.”

The police have since said that six male passengers, aged between 20 and 47, were sent in a conscious state to Sengkang General Hospital. The 33-year-old male driver of the lorry is assisting with ongoing police investigations.

The incident has shone yet another spotlight on the practice of transporting migrant workers in the back of lorries without proper safety measures.

Transporting passengers in the back of lorries without seatbelts or appropriate seating arrangements can expose them to significant risks, including accidents, injuries, or even fatalities.

Some also see this practice as a human rights violation as migrant workers, like all individuals, have the right to be treated with dignity and respect, regardless of their immigration status. Treating migrant workers differently from other individuals in terms of transportation safety can also be considered unfair and inequitable.

Activists here have long called upon employers, transport operators, and the authorities to ensure the safety and well-being of all passengers during transportation, regardless of their status as migrant workers, by making lorry transportation without seatbelts and proper seating illegal.

It remains important to prioritize the safety, dignity, and rights of all individuals, including migrant workers, in any transportation arrangements. /TISG