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Budget 2019 debate: Irresponsible drivers to face stiffer penalties, says Sun Xueling

MHA will also raise composition sums for road traffic offences to deter irresponsible driving behaviours.
These new penalties will be applied “especially in egregious cases”, Sun Xueling, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Home Affairs. (PHOTO: Getty Images)

The Road Traffic Act will be amended to enhance criminal penalties for irresponsible driving, said Sun Xueling, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Home Affairs, in Parliament on Friday (1 March).

These new penalties will be applied “especially in egregious cases”, Sun said during the Committee of Supply debate for the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

“We want to ensure that irresponsible drivers receive sentences commensurate with the harm that they cause, and are kept off the roads for longer periods of time,” said the 39-year-old, who is also Senior Parliamentary Secretary for National Development.

“To complement this, MHA will also raise composition sums for road traffic offences including the offence of using a mobile phone while driving,” she added.

Simulator training for learner drivers

This year, the Traffic Police (TP) will introduce mandatory simulator training for all learner drivers, on top of the existing course requirements, said Sun.

She was responding to a question raised by Member of Parliament Sitoh Yih Pin, who asked if the MHA would be reviewing course requirements for new or inexperienced drivers.

No differentiating of alcohol limits

MP Murali Pillai also asked if the MHA would consider taking into account the effect of alcohol on probationary or young drivers as compared with other drivers, when it comes to drink-driving penalties.

Sun replied that Singapore’s laws currently do not prescribe different alcohol limits for various classes of drivers because “we cannot make an a priori claim on the effect of alcohol on persons based on factors like age and experience”.

Furthermore, the traffic police do not enforce drink-driving offences just based solely on whether a person has exceeded the alcohol limit, she said.

“A person would also be deemed to have been drink-driving as long as he had consumed alcohol and had been unable to control his vehicle, even if he did not exceed the prescribed statutory alcohol limit,” said Sun.

“These criteria apply to all drivers, regardless of age or driving experience.”

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