Singapore
By Lydia Lam 02 Jul 2021 05:44PM (Updated: 02 Jul 2021 05:50PM )
SINGAPORE: A driver who sped at almost twice the road limit and collided into a cyclist in Tampines , killing him, was given 26 weeks' jail and an eight-year driving ban on Friday (Jul 2).
Johnson Yap, 49, pleaded guilty to one charge of driving without reasonable consideration, colliding with the cyclist and killing him.
The court heard that Yap was driving his vehicle along Tampines Avenue 3 towards Tampines Avenue 4 on the morning of Nov 21, 2019.
After overtaking a bus, Yap sped down several lanes before coming to the signalised pedestrian crossing where the victim, a 64-year-old man, was cycling across the road.
Seeing that the traffic light was green in his favour, Yap continued driving at a high speed of between 95kmh and 97kmh on a road where the limit was 50kmh.
About two car lengths before the pedestrian crossing, Yap noticed the victim cycling across and immediately applied his brakes, but could not brake in time.
He collided with the victim, who was flung onto Yap's windscreen before landing on the road. The impact ripped off the bicycle seat, dislodged the handlebar and dented the front basket.
Yap immediately stopped his vehicle and helped the victim, who was taken to hospital. Yap admitted that he did not see the victim at all until the "very last minute" when the victim was already in the middle of the road.
The victim suffered injuries including an extensive skull fracture, a fractured ankle and a deformed shin. He died later that morning.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Lim Woon Yee asked for a jail term of between seven and eight months' jail and a driving ban of eight years. She said this would be "fair and necessary to send a strong message against irresponsible driving to prevent such tragedies from happening".
She noted that Yap was driving at almost twice the speed limit, and going as fast as between 101kmh and 105kmh about five seconds before the collision.
Lawyer Amarjit Singh Sidhu asked instead for three months' jail. He said that while Yap had "made a mistake in exceeding the speed limit, the victim’s failure to abide by the traffic junction signals and crossed the road despite the traffic lights being in Johnson’s favour has materially contributed to the accident".
"It is respectfully submitted that it was the cyclist who had encroached onto Johnson’s path and had not complied with the traffic signal," he said.
District Judge Lorraine Ho noted that camera footage showed the victim crossing slowly on his bicycle, holding onto a brightly coloured umbrella.
If Yap had travelled within the speed limit, he would have had 1.5 times more time to react.
She said he could even have slowed down and stopped in time to avoid a collision had he been within the speed limit.
However, she noted his mitigating factors such as his guilty plea, cooperation and genuine remorse. She granted his request to begin serving his jail term on Jul 12.
For causing death to another person through his driving, Yap could have been jailed up to three years, fined up to S$10,000 or both. The mandatory minimum for such an offence is a driving ban of eight years.
Source: CNA/ll(ac)
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Speeding driver gets jail and driving ban for colliding with cyclist, killing him
Photos circulating on social media show the scene of the accident at Tampines Avenue 3. (Photo: Facebook/Mohammad Jib)By Lydia Lam 02 Jul 2021 05:44PM (Updated: 02 Jul 2021 05:50PM )
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SINGAPORE: A driver who sped at almost twice the road limit and collided into a cyclist in Tampines , killing him, was given 26 weeks' jail and an eight-year driving ban on Friday (Jul 2).
Johnson Yap, 49, pleaded guilty to one charge of driving without reasonable consideration, colliding with the cyclist and killing him.
The court heard that Yap was driving his vehicle along Tampines Avenue 3 towards Tampines Avenue 4 on the morning of Nov 21, 2019.
After overtaking a bus, Yap sped down several lanes before coming to the signalised pedestrian crossing where the victim, a 64-year-old man, was cycling across the road.
Seeing that the traffic light was green in his favour, Yap continued driving at a high speed of between 95kmh and 97kmh on a road where the limit was 50kmh.
About two car lengths before the pedestrian crossing, Yap noticed the victim cycling across and immediately applied his brakes, but could not brake in time.
He collided with the victim, who was flung onto Yap's windscreen before landing on the road. The impact ripped off the bicycle seat, dislodged the handlebar and dented the front basket.
Yap immediately stopped his vehicle and helped the victim, who was taken to hospital. Yap admitted that he did not see the victim at all until the "very last minute" when the victim was already in the middle of the road.
The victim suffered injuries including an extensive skull fracture, a fractured ankle and a deformed shin. He died later that morning.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Lim Woon Yee asked for a jail term of between seven and eight months' jail and a driving ban of eight years. She said this would be "fair and necessary to send a strong message against irresponsible driving to prevent such tragedies from happening".
She noted that Yap was driving at almost twice the speed limit, and going as fast as between 101kmh and 105kmh about five seconds before the collision.
Lawyer Amarjit Singh Sidhu asked instead for three months' jail. He said that while Yap had "made a mistake in exceeding the speed limit, the victim’s failure to abide by the traffic junction signals and crossed the road despite the traffic lights being in Johnson’s favour has materially contributed to the accident".
"It is respectfully submitted that it was the cyclist who had encroached onto Johnson’s path and had not complied with the traffic signal," he said.
District Judge Lorraine Ho noted that camera footage showed the victim crossing slowly on his bicycle, holding onto a brightly coloured umbrella.
If Yap had travelled within the speed limit, he would have had 1.5 times more time to react.
She said he could even have slowed down and stopped in time to avoid a collision had he been within the speed limit.
However, she noted his mitigating factors such as his guilty plea, cooperation and genuine remorse. She granted his request to begin serving his jail term on Jul 12.
For causing death to another person through his driving, Yap could have been jailed up to three years, fined up to S$10,000 or both. The mandatory minimum for such an offence is a driving ban of eight years.
Source: CNA/ll(ac)
Continue reading...