SINGAPORE: A woman was speeding on the Central Expressway (CTE) when she lost control of her vehicle and hit a guard railing before colliding with two motorcycles, a lorry and a car.
The impact threw both motorcyclists onto the road and caused one of them, a 31-year-old man, to suffer fatal injuries. Two men who were seated in the back of the lorry were also flung onto the road.
The driver of the Mazda3, Ng Wen Xun, was sentenced on Monday (May 29) to two-and-a-half years’ jail (30 months) and banned from driving for 10 years.
Ng pleaded guilty to one charge each of dangerous driving causing death and dangerous driving causing grievous hurt. Another two charges were considered in sentencing.
The court heard that Ng, 35, was driving her car along the first lane of the CTE towards Seletar Expressway at about 9.15pm on Jul 23, 2021.
She was going at a speed of at least 118kmh, above the limit of 80kmh.
Ng failed to maintain proper control of her vehicle and collided with the centre guard railing, before veering left.
She hit the victim’s motorcycle before veering right and colliding with the other motorcycle, a lorry ferrying passengers and a car.
The vehicle came to a stop only after colliding with the left guard railing of CTE and caught fire.
AFTERMATH
The impact of the various collisions threw the two motorcycles on their sides and flung their riders onto the road.
The lorry toppled on its right side, flinging two of its rear passengers onto the road.
Almost all involved in the accident were taken to hospital. These include: The 31-year-old motorcyclist who died in hospital from multiple injuries, a 28-year-old rider of the second motorcycle, a 25-year-old lorry driver and three passengers from the lorry aged 26, 31 and 50. The 65-year-old car driver did not go to hospital.
The victims sustained injuries ranging from fractures of the wrist and spine to bruising.
Footage of the accident was analysed by the Health Sciences Authority. Ng was found to be travelling at an average of between 118kmh and 215kmh just before the accident.
The prosecutor said Ng had a prior conviction for speeding in 2013, when she was fined and given demerit points.
Ng’s lawyer, Ms Josephine Chee of Rajah & Tann, said her client had exhibited a “very limited manner of dangerous driving”.
She said they accepted that Ng was speeding, but said this was the only manner of dangerous driving Ng was displaying.
Referring to the estimated average speed her client was driving at, she said it was “a bit questionable” that a Mazda 3 would be able to travel at 200kmh or 215kmh.
As the accident occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic, there were fewer road users due to the hybrid work situation, said Ms Chee.
She said her client has “genuine remorse” and is deeply apologetic and “very, very sorry” for the loss of life she has caused.
The judge allowed Ng to begin serving her jail term on Jun 12.
For dangerous driving causing death, an offender can be jailed between two and eight years and banned from driving for 10 years.
The penalties for dangerous driving causing grievous hurt are a jail term between a year and five years, as well as a driving ban of eight years.