Woman claims period cramps caused her to lose control of vehicle in accident that killed 70-year-old motorcyclist
A 38-year-old driver involved in a fatal accident that killed a 70-year-old motorcyclist and injured four others has claimed she lost control of her vehicle due to period cramps.
However, no medical records were found to support her claim, and she was sentenced to four months in jail and had her driving licence suspended for eight years on Tuesday (20 May).
The accused, identified as Siti Nur Faiza (name transliterated from Mandarin), faced five charges under the Road Traffic Act, including careless driving and failing to secure children with seat belts.
She pleaded guilty to one charge, while the others were taken into consideration by the judge during sentencing.
Vehicle was overloaded beyond legal capacity
According to Shin Min Daily News, the collision occurred at around 2.55am on 3 Dec 2022, on the Bukit Timah Expressway (BKE) heading towards Woodlands.
Source: Shin Min Daily News
Ms Siti was reportedly driving a seven-seater SUV carrying eight people, including herself — exceeding the vehicle’s legal capacity.
The passengers included her husband, her sister, and five children aged between two and 12 years.
Three of the children were not wearing seat belts, and Ms Siti’s two-year-old twin sons were being held by her sister and older daughter rather than being secured in child safety seats.
Loses control of vehicle & crashes into motorcyclist
Suddenly, Ms Siti lost control of her vehicle, causing it to hit a railing on the right side before skidding to the left and colliding with a motorcycle, killing the 70-year-old rider on the spot.
Following the crash, Ms Siti and her family were taken to the hospital.
She sustained a swollen forehead and abrasions on her right arm, while her sister suffered a head haematoma — a soft, swollen bump caused by blood pooling under the skin — as well as a cut on her nose.
Both were discharged on the same day.
Meanwhile, the children sustained minor injuries, including back pain, dizziness, shoulder pain, and eye swelling.
Lawyer argues accident was caused by sudden period cramps
In court, the defence argued that the fatal accident was the result of sudden and severe menstrual cramps, which caused Ms Siti to lose control of the vehicle.
The lawyer explained that the unexpected pain affected Ms Siti’s ability to drive safely at the time of the crash.
Source: dimaberlinphotos on Canva, for illustration purposes only
However, the prosecution challenged this claim, pointing out that Ms Siti did not inform her family of any discomfort before the accident and failed to provide medical records to support her condition.
The prosecution also emphasised that menstrual cramps are a foreseeable, recurring condition that drivers should anticipate and manage responsibly.
While delivering the sentence, the judge noted the absence of medical evidence verifying the severity of Ms Siti’s menstrual cramps and their specific impact on her driving.
The judge added that if the pain was indeed severe, Ms Siti should have refrained from driving altogether.
Also read: 27-year-old motorcyclist dies after accident with van along Sembawang Road, driver arrested
27-year-old motorcyclist dies after accident with van along Sembawang Road, driver arrested
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Featured image adapted from Shin Min Daily News and kanchanachitkhamma on Canva, for illustration purposes only.
