Second minister for Home Affairs Sim Ann said the proposed changes to Singapore’s road traffic laws are intended to ensure that the most serious cases of dangerous driving are met with penalties that better reflect the gravity of the offences, while also strengthening safeguards against drink driving and mobile phone use behind the wheel.
Speaking during the debate on the Road Traffic (Amendment) Bill on Aug 4, she said the current legal framework does not adequately cater to the most egregious cases of dangerous driving. She cited a case in which a driver intentionally sideswiped a motorcycle, causing the death of its pillion rider, but where the most serious charge available was dangerous driving causing death, which carries a maximum jail term of eight years.
“The Government’s view is that such conduct must face harsher consequences,” she said.
The Bill will also make it an offence for motorists to hold a mobile communication device while their vehicle is in motion, removing the need for enforcement officers to prove that the device was being operated.
The debate also saw several Members of Parliament call for changes to Singapore’s demerit point system, arguing that it should better reward sustained safe driving while recognising the unique challenges faced by vocational drivers.
They proposed changes to Singapore’s demerit point system during the parliamentary debate, arguing that it should better incentivise good driving behaviour while recognising the realities faced by vocational drivers.
Mariam Jaafar (Sembawang GRC) cited Spain as an example, where drivers who remain free of traffic offences for a sustained period have their available demerit points restored.
She asked whether Singapore could consider introducing a similar mechanism for all drivers or, at the very least, for vocational drivers, who face the greatest livelihood consequences from demerit point accumulation. She said such a system would reward years of safe driving by providing drivers with greater headroom.
Workers’ Party MP Kenneth Tiong supported Mariam’s proposal. He said he had encountered residents with clean driving records spanning more than a decade whose livelihoods as private-hire drivers had been jeopardised by a single high demerit point offence. He also asked whether the Government would publish the number of recalcitrant drivers.
Darryl David (Ang Mo Kio GRC) said that while strong deterrence was appropriate for drivers who repeatedly flouted road rules, the authorities should also recognise the disproportionate impact of the changes on operational drivers, including bus captains, taxi and private-hire drivers, as well as those working in the delivery and logistics sectors.
“They spend substantially more time on our roads than the average motorist, and are therefore more likely to accumulate demerit points through sheer exposure alone,” he said.
To address this, Mr David proposed introducing an early intervention mechanism for vocational drivers. Under his suggestion, drivers who accumulated nine demerit points would be required to attend a mandatory road safety programme focused on defensive driving, hazard awareness and responsible driving behaviour.
Upon completing the programme, they could receive a one-time reduction of three demerit points, available once every two years, in line with the existing demerit point cycle.
The Straits Times
