Pasir Ris bus accident: Woman, 33, cries in court, worries loss of leg will affect young daughter

She was called to testify in the bus driver's trial to share her ordeal post-accident.

Winnie Li | April 06, 2023, 10:08 AM

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The woman who lost her left leg following a bus accident in January 2021 testified in court on Wednesday (Apr. 5).

Tan Phuay Khoo, the bus driver, pleaded not guilty to a charge under the Road Traffic Act for causing grievous hurt by driving without reasonable consideration for other persons using the road.

On Jan. 19, Tan drove an SBS Transit bus along Pasir Ris Drive 2. He was turning right into Pasir Ris Drive 1 when his bus collided with the 33-year-old victim, surnamed Bai.

The prosecution called Bai to the witness stand on the second day of the trial, reported Shin Min Daily News.

Victim claimed she crossed road when green man on

Bai shared that she was on her way to buy groceries at the supermarket on her day off when tragedy struck.

She recalled that she had started to cross the road when the traffic light's green man came on, and then she heard a "bang".

"The next moment, I was on a hospital bed," she said.

Unwilling to go out as she felt "different" now

Bai said her left leg sustained serious injuries and was amputated from the thigh down.

Besides losing her left leg, her right leg was also fractured and required reconstruction.

Because of her injuries, Bai is unable to go up or down the stairs, run, jump, or squat without help.

She became less willing to leave her house as she felt that she had become "different".

Worried about daughter

During her testimony, Bai broke down in court when she revealed that she has a 10-year-old daughter.

She cried while articulating her worries about going out with her daughter after the accident. Bai said she fears the "weird looks" she would receive from the public and it would be too much pressure for her daughter.

"I'm worried about my daughter's future," the victim said while sobbing.

Shin Min reported that the victim's mother, who was seated in the public gallery in court, cried when she saw the victim break down on the stand.

Bus driver kept a proper lookout before turning right: lawyer

While cross-examining the case investigation officer on Apr. 4, Tan's lawyer argued that the bus driver had kept a proper lookout for other road users when making the right turn.

He said that according to footage from the CCTV camera on the bus, Tan could be seen looking out for traffic and even checking if the bus would hit the central divider.

As such, Tan's lawyer argued that the bus driver had shown reasonable consideration for other persons using the road when the accident occurred, and other factors must have caused the tragedy.

In response, the investigation officer agreed that the accused might have shown reasonable consideration for other road users, except he did knock down the victim.

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