SINGAPORE: Additional safety measures are being considered at Tuas Checkpoint following an accident last month where an auxiliary police officer was seriously injured by a suspected drink driver.
The measures include potentially shifting the checkpoint’s observation post further away from the path of oncoming vehicles, Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam said in a written parliamentary reply on Friday (Apr 21).
He was responding to a question from MP Dennis Tan (WP-Hougang) on whether the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) will review its operations and the design of the approaches to the checkpoint in the wake of the incident.
A 42-year-old driver was arrested after he hit and seriously injured a Certis auxiliary police officer on Mar 24. Investigations revealed that the man was allegedly intoxicated and driving at high speed up the viaduct leading to Tuas Checkpoint.
Mr Shanmugam said the man allegedly lost control of his vehicle and crashed into the observation point area, hitting the drop arm barrier, concrete bollards and the auxiliary police officer on duty.
The observation point is where auxiliary police officers perform protective security functions such as preventing unauthorised vehicles from entering or exiting the checkpoints.
EXISTING SAFETY MEASURES
Mr Shamugam noted that there are existing preventative road safety measures at the approaches to the land checkpoints, including road humps to deter speeding as well as signs to remind motorists of the speed limit and to maintain lane discipline.
Officers who are performing traffic control functions are also deployed in pairs and are required to put on safety vests. They must also use traffic wands and blinker lights to enhance their visibility to motorists, he said.
“ICA also ensures there is adequate lighting of the roads, and we take firm enforcement action against those who breach traffic rules,” he added.
At the time of the accident, the auxiliary police officer was wearing a reflective vest and a blinker, said the minister. The officer, who is critically injured and remains unconscious, sustained a severe head injury while the driver suffered lacerations.
ICA and Certis CISCO are in contact with his family and will continue to provide help and support, said Mr Shanmugam.
“As would be noted, the observation post was protected with a drop arm barrier and concrete bollards. There are thousands of vehicles every single day, and there has been no issue so far. In this case, the driver was allegedly intoxicated and driving at high speed,” said the minister.
“We are now considering additional measures, including if the observation post can be shifted further away from the path of the oncoming vehicles, and whether more barriers need to be erected.”
He also stressed that motorists must play their part to ensure road safety for themselves, as well as other road users. They must abide by traffic rules, and directions given by officers, and should never drink and drive.
Investigations into the incident are ongoing.