Back in 2021, a man drove without due care and collided with a speeding motorcycle. The accident caused the death of his 51-day-old daughter later that same day.
Pleading guilty to one count of driving without due care, he was recently sentenced to a S$5,000 fine. The court also disqualified him from holding all classes of driving licences for five years.
At the time of sentencing, another three charges were taken into consideration.
The Straits Times (ST) reports that the accident occurred sometime before 9.40am on 26 Sep 2021.
The man had been driving a car in the vicinity of Tampines Avenue 10 with his wife in the rear left passenger seat carrying their baby daughter. In their rear right passenger seat was their three-year-old son.
Source: Google Maps
Upon reaching a cross junction, he reportedly stopped at the right-turning pocket for several seconds. The view of the opposite road, with traffic approaching him, was allegedly blocked by a set of low barricades.
Assuming the way was clear, the man made a discretionary right turn towards Tampines Avenue 11 on the green-only traffic light signal.
Little did he know that at that juncture, 46-year-old Mohamed Saharuddin Gani was riding his motorcycle alone, approaching the family from the opposite direction.
When the driver made the turn, Mr Saharuddin collided with the vehicle’s rear left passenger door. The impact threw him off his motorcycle, causing him to land on the ground and lose consciousness. At the same time, the driver’s daughter was flung out of her mother’s hands.
A post-accident report by the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) determined that Mr Saharuddin was going at a speed of 97km/h to 129km/h. Even with the right of way, he went well over the speed limit on both roads, which is 70km/h.
According to ST, the man’s wife immediately picked their daughter up from the right rear passenger seat and checked on her.
She allegedly had no visible injuries and was not crying. As such, his wife continued to carry her and checked on their son.
Following the collision, the man completed the turn and stopped to check on his family. He then alighted to assist Mr Saharuddin.
Mr Saharuddin and the man’s wife and children were conveyed to the hospital thereafter. At 3.10pm the same day, his daughter passed away.
His son sustained abrasions on his right arm and leg, while his wife had an abrasion laceration over her left elbow and a cut on her left forearm.
As for Mr Saharuddin, he suffered nasal bone fractures and a head fracture. He received 91 days of hospitalisation leave and underwent surgery on his right eye as well as reconstruction on his nose.
Police also issued him with a composition fine for speeding.
Citing the HSA report, defence lawyer Desmond Tan stated the collision would not have occurred if the motorcyclist had moved at a slower speed.
“The consequences of the accident continue to haunt my client and his family and he is extremely remorseful,” said Mr Tan.
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Featured image adapted from Google Maps.
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