DANGEROUS DRIVING (Enhancement of penalty)

Mr Goh Choon Kang asked the Minister for Home Affairs if the maximum penalty for dangerous driving needs to be enhanced for more effective deterrence.

The Minister of State for Home Affairs (Assoc. Prof. Ho Peng Kee) (for the Minister for Home Affairs): Sir, existing penalties for dangerous driving are adequate. Police takes strict enforcement action against motorists who endanger the lives of other road-users by driving dangerously or recklessly.

In 1996, the Road Traffic Act was amended to enhance the penalties for dangerous driving. We tripled the maximum fine and doubled the maximum jail sentence for this offence. Hence, anyone who drives a motor vehicle dangerously or recklessly can now be fined up to $3,000 (up from $1,000) or jailed up to one year (up from six months), or both. The penalties for a second-time offender are more severe. He can be fined up to $5,000 (up from $2,000) or jailed up to two years (up from one year), or both.

Sir, anyone who causes the death of another person by dangerous or reckless driving will be jailed for up to five years when convicted. Imprisonment is mandatory. Regardless of whether he has any previous conviction for dangerous driving, the Court has the power to ban him from driving for life, depending on the severity of the case.

A motorist who has at least two previous convictions for dangerous or reckless driving can be punished up to three times the penalty that he would otherwise have received, subject to a maximum jail term of 10 years if a jail term is imposed. If he had caused serious injury or death when he is convicted of dangerous or reckless driving for the third time or more, the Court may also impose caning of up to six strokes.

The Road Traffic Act was also amended in 1996 to ensure that any person who is convicted of dangerous driving, but has two previous convictions of driving under the influence of drink or drugs or failing to give blood or breath specimen, or driving while under suspension or disqualification, is liable for the same enhanced penalty as one who is convicted of dangerous driving for the third time or more.

Sir, more recently, the Road Traffic Rules were amended to further deter dangerous driving. With effect from 1st June 1998, a motorist will be given 24 demerit points instead of the previous 12 points for the offence of dangerous driving. In addition, his driving licence can be suspended for up to a period of three years. Any motorist who is suspended or disqualified from driving for at least one year will lose his driving licence, and will have to re-sit for, and pass, a new driving test to regain his licence.

Sir, we are also currently reviewing the Road Traffic Act, and target to introduce the Amendment Bill in Parliament later this year. We are considering empowering the Deputy Commissioner of Police to immediately suspend the driving licences of those who cause death by dangerous or reckless driving even before they are charged in court. This is to prevent the offender from driving after the fatal accident and putting other road users at risk during the period before he is charged in court.