SINGAPORE: A 20-year-old man was charged on Thursday (Sep 18) over a traffic accident that resulted in the death of a passenger whom he is suspected to have ferried in a carpooling service.
Weaver Chiam Zheng Jie, a Singaporean, is said to have driven a van without a qualified Class 3 Driving Licence during the 2023 incident.
Michael Ong Wee Siong, 21, died after the van flipped on the Pan-Island Expressway (PIE) in the direction of Tuas on Dec 31, 2023 following a collision with a lorry.
It emerged during a coroner's inquiry into the death of Mr Ong that Chiam had been offering to ferry passengers to their destinations on a Telegram group chat.
State Coroner Adam Nakhoda then highlighted the dangers of such carpooling services, noting how a passenger could be picked up by inexperienced drivers, which can lead to a higher chance of an accident.
Chiam was handed four charges in the State Courts.
Apart from driving without a licence, he is said to have driven without "due care and attention" by failing to maintain control of the van while driving at about 7.40am on Dec 31, 2023.
According to the charge sheet, he drove between lane one and lane two of the three-lane PIE, resulting in a collision with a lorry travelling on lane three.
Mr Ong, who was seated in the front passenger seat of the van, died from injuries sustained from the collision.
Chiam was also handed one count of ferrying a passenger who was not an employee of the company the goods vehicle belonged to.
He faces another count of driving the van without insurance, as required under the Motor Vehicles (Third-Party Risks and Compensation) Act.
Chiam's case is fixed for a pre-trial conference on Oct 24.
If convicted of driving without due care or attention, Chiam could be jailed up to three years, or fined up to S$10,000 (US$7,800), or both. He may also be disqualified from driving for up to eight years.
For ferrying passengers in a goods vehicle not under the employment of its owner, Chiam could be jailed up to three months, or fined up to S$1,000, or both, if convicted on a first offence.
If convicted for driving without insurance, he could be jailed up to three months, or fined up to S$1,000, or both. He could also be disqualified from driving for up to 12 months.
If convicted of driving without a licence, Chiam could be jailed up to three years, or fined up to S$10,000, or both.
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Weaver Chiam Zheng Jie, a Singaporean, is said to have driven a van without a qualified Class 3 Driving Licence during the 2023 incident.
Michael Ong Wee Siong, 21, died after the van flipped on the Pan-Island Expressway (PIE) in the direction of Tuas on Dec 31, 2023 following a collision with a lorry.
It emerged during a coroner's inquiry into the death of Mr Ong that Chiam had been offering to ferry passengers to their destinations on a Telegram group chat.
State Coroner Adam Nakhoda then highlighted the dangers of such carpooling services, noting how a passenger could be picked up by inexperienced drivers, which can lead to a higher chance of an accident.
Chiam was handed four charges in the State Courts.
Apart from driving without a licence, he is said to have driven without "due care and attention" by failing to maintain control of the van while driving at about 7.40am on Dec 31, 2023.
According to the charge sheet, he drove between lane one and lane two of the three-lane PIE, resulting in a collision with a lorry travelling on lane three.
Mr Ong, who was seated in the front passenger seat of the van, died from injuries sustained from the collision.
Chiam was also handed one count of ferrying a passenger who was not an employee of the company the goods vehicle belonged to.
He faces another count of driving the van without insurance, as required under the Motor Vehicles (Third-Party Risks and Compensation) Act.
Chiam's case is fixed for a pre-trial conference on Oct 24.
If convicted of driving without due care or attention, Chiam could be jailed up to three years, or fined up to S$10,000 (US$7,800), or both. He may also be disqualified from driving for up to eight years.
For ferrying passengers in a goods vehicle not under the employment of its owner, Chiam could be jailed up to three months, or fined up to S$1,000, or both, if convicted on a first offence.
If convicted for driving without insurance, he could be jailed up to three months, or fined up to S$1,000, or both. He could also be disqualified from driving for up to 12 months.
If convicted of driving without a licence, Chiam could be jailed up to three years, or fined up to S$10,000, or both.
Continue reading...