STAGED ACCIDENTS (Complaints)

Mr Chng Hee Kok asked the Minister for Home Affairs whether the Police Force has received complaints of "staged accidents".

The Minister of State for Home Affairs (Assoc. Prof. Ho Peng Kee) (for the Minister for Home Affairs): Mr Speaker, Sir, Police takes a serious view of staged accidents. It is monitoring the situation very closely. These accidents are related to the problem of workshop crew touting for business.

Traffic Police's assessment is that instances of staged accidents are relatively few. From time to time, Police receives reports from motorists claiming that the circumstances under which accidents they were involved in were suspicious. Police investigations into these reports have not disclosed any evidence of staging, although in some of them, there was sufficient evidence to proceed on careless driving.

Three cases of suspected staging were cited by the Straits Times on 7th July 1997. Traffic Police has carefully investigated them. There is insufficient evidence to prove that any of the accidents was staged.

Police will continue to investigate cases where staging of accidents is suspected or where workshop crew persistently annoy, harass, or intimidate motorists in an effort to offer their services. Since 1995, there have been three reported cases of touting. The culprits in two of the cases have been convicted whilst the third case is still under investigation.

This is not the first time that the issue of staged traffic accidents and touting has surfaced. In 1991, Police received numerous complaints of highway touts pestering accident victims for repair services. The touts had arrived almost immediately after an accident occurred on the road.

Police then conducted an operation against highway touts and arrested 13 persons. Police also seized two transceivers which were used to listen to emergency service frequencies. As a result, the Telecommunication Authority of Singapore (TAS) Act was amended in 1993 to deter such unauthorised access.

These activities abated considerably. But in 1994 reports of such practices resurfaced. Police responded with strict enforcement against touts and towing crew plying the thoroughfares. Police also collated information on suspected workshops involved in hiring accident stagers and monitored them closely. Further, Police secured its radio transmission network by encrypting its channels to prevent eavesdropping by touts. The enforcement action successfully cleared up touting activities until the recent cases were reported in the press.

Police recognises that enforcement action alone cannot be the solution. Other than difficulty in securing evidence, sporadic reports of possible occurrences require intensive manpower resources to investigate effectively.

Police has met with Mr Tan Kin Lian, CEO of NTUC INCOME to discuss the problem. His assessment is that staging of accidents is one facet of a wider set of problems which include touting and fraudulent insurance claims. The problem has to be addressed at source with the motor insurance industry taking the initiative.

The motor insurance industry can do this by looking into the existing practice of assessment and claims which may be circumvented by workshops involved with touts and accident stagers.

The motoring public can also play their part by being vigilant when driving. They should keep a safe distance from the vehicles in front, even when vehicles try to cut into their paths. Also, they should not be pressurised into accepting the services of towing crews at the scene of accident and should report any touting activities to the Police.

While the problem of staged accidents is not widespread, the public can be assured that Police will take strict enforcement action and adopt a serious view of all such reports. All allegations of staged accidents will be investigated thoroughly. Whenever there is sufficient evidence, offenders will be prosecuted in court where deterrent sentences will be pressed against them.

Mr Chng Hee Kok (East Coast): Sir, I think Members of this House have from time to time also received similar complaints from residents as well and we can all agree to take a serious view of this matter as it endangers lives on the roads. My question to the Minister of State is whether the current legislation is sufficient to tackle this problem and whether the penalties are sufficient deterrents.

Assoc. Prof. Ho Peng Kee: Sir, if a person is caught for touting, as had happened, he is punished under the Miscellaneous Offences (Public Order and Nuisance) Act for which a person, if liable and convicted, can be fined not less than $1,000 and not more than $5,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or to both. If it is a second or subsequent conviction, he may be liable to a fine of not less than $2,000 and not more than $10,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding one year or to both. Of course, if a person is convicted of staging an accident, then it depends on what consequences have arisen. If, as a result of the accident, people are hurt, then a range of penalties is open under which he may be liable, including for serious cases, even under section 304 of the Penal Code (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) or voluntarily causing grievous hurt or hurt or mischief. It depends on what arises from the accident. I think the penalties are in place. The question, of course, is how to ensure that there is sufficient evidence.

In any case, I would like to assure Mr Chng and the House that we would take a comprehensive approach. Police is at the end, ie, when a report comes in, we investigate. But I have asked Traffic Police to work with the motor insurance industry - I think that is the nub of the problem and the way to a solution - so that they can come together and agree on a practice, for example, of authorised workshops. To do this, I think, the industry must come together, because if some break ranks, then it does not work. So we will see what arises from these discussions.

Mr Chng Hee Kok: Sir, saying that touting and staging of accidents are part and parcel of the same problem, will the Minister of State agree that $1,000 fine seems rather low under today's conditions and, at the same time, in view of the fact that we have so far failed to bring many of these people to book?

Assoc. Prof. Ho Peng Kee: As I say, these possible offences are linked - touting, submitting of fraudulent claims and, possibly, staging of accidents. But, of course, touting encompasses a host of activities, not just touting on the roads. Touting can also take place in a retail setting. But I think Mr Chng's point is that if a person is caught for touting with regard to possible staged accidents, then higher penalties should be imposed. I can ask Police to consider this point.