SINGAPORE – A driver who was travelling at more than 82kmh in a residential area in Bukit Batok West – over 30kmh above the speed limit – failed to spot an elderly woman crossing the road.
He slammed on his brakes just 0.2 second before his vehicle collided into her. The impact flung the 76-year-old woman into the air and onto the roadway. She later died of her injuries.
On Feb 13, Ang Kim Chuan, 61, was sentenced to 17 months’ jail after he pleaded guilty to driving without due care and attention, which led to the death of Madam Ng Cheow Tee.
He was also barred from holding all classes of driving licences for eight years.
Court documents show that Ang had been driving along a two-lane dual carriageway in Bukit Batok West Avenue 6 at around 5.22pm on July 20, 2024.
His vehicle was heading towards Bukit Batok East Avenue 6, where Madam Ng began to cross a two-lane road for which the speed limit was 50kmh.
While this was not a designated pedestrian crossing, the prosecution said that Ang bore the responsibility of keeping a proper lookout as a driver.
Ang continued to accelerate even as he approached a bend. Investigations found that he was driving at between 82kmh and 86kmh.
An analysis of his in-car camera footage showed he had applied his brakes only 0.2 second before colliding into Madam Ng, even though she had been visible to him about 2.8 seconds before the accident.
The prosecution had sought a jail term of between 21 and 24 months for Ang, along with the eight-year driving disqualification.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Johan Tay noted that Ang’s sentencing comes as fatal road accidents, especially those related to speeding offences, have increased over the past few years.
The first half of 2025 saw 78 fatal road accidents, compared with 70 in the same period in 2024 – an 11.4 per cent increase.
In the whole of 2023, there were 131 cases of fatal accidents, an increase of 6.1 per cent from the 139 cases in 2024.
DPP Tay said: “It is trite that where an offence is becoming prevalent in Singapore, such prevalence constitutes a relevant consideration in sentencing and the court should mete out a stiff sentence to show its disapproval and to deter like-minded offenders.”
Those found guilty of careless driving causing death can be jailed for up to three years, fined up to $10,000, or both, and disqualified from driving for eight years.