More motorists nabbed for drink-driving in first 9 months
Special Constable Muhd Solihin Abdul Razak placing an anti-drink driving notice in the form of “traffic summons” on a car windscreen in Grand Park City Hall carpark.
Walter Sim | The Straits Times | Sunday, Dec 8, 2013
More than 2,300 motorists were arrested for drink driving in the first nine months of this year, it was revealed on Thursday - a 9 per cent rise on the same period last year.
A police spokesman attributed the increase to "contributing factors" such as people drinking more and tougher enforcement efforts, such as more road blocks.
There were also 88 drink-driving accidents leading to 16 deaths in the same period - compared to 83 such accidents and 15 deaths recorded between January and September 2012.
"This senseless loss of lives is preventable and we need to do more," said Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs Masagos Zulkifli on Thursday.
Speaking to 200 guests at the launch of the STCars Anti-Drink Drive Campaign at Grand Park City Hall, he added: "Despite our reminders that drinking and driving do not mix, we still see many motorists taking their chances."
Deputy Superintendent of Police Soh Wan Khuan, the traffic police's commanding officer for road safety, said campaign ideas used this year include anti-drink driving notices in the form of "traffic summons", placed on windscreens to serve as "very friendly advice".
Mr Masagos also urged motorists to be "safe and responsible" when enjoying year-end festivities, noting recently revised sentencing guidelines.
First-time offenders can face disqualification from driving for at least a year and a maximum fine of $5,000 or six months in jail.
"They risk losing their driving licence and must retake the full suite of theory and practical driving tests to obtain a new licence," he said.
Repeat offenders can be punished with a fine of up to $30,000 and a mandatory jail term of up to three years. Should death or serious injury be caused, they may also be caned up to six strokes.
Motorists can still be charged with drink driving even if they are under the legal limit of 35 micrograms of alcohol per 100ml of breath as long as they do not have proper control of their vehicle.
Mr Masagos on Thursday announced the new Safer Roads Industry Taskforce, which he is chairing, to promote safer driving for vocational drivers - such as fleet, bus and taxi drivers, and dispatch riders.
"Areas that we will look into include work health-related issues, continuous training and education, vehicle engineering and infrastructural solutions to help drivers drive in a safer manner," said Mr Masagos. The 20-member taskforce has an 18-month tenure, during which it will consult stakeholders to develop safe initiatives.
Meanwhile, the inaugural Singapore Road Safety Award - a Singapore Road Safety Council initiative - was also presented to commend companies operating heavy vehicles that have promoted road safety efforts. PSA Corporation won the top prize, with merit awards going to Sembwaste, Sembcorp Tay Paper Recycling and Poh Tiong Choon Logistics.
The council's vice-chairman Gopinath Menon said: "There's a tendency to say that drivers are responsible when they get into an accident. But management must also be responsible."
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