A customer was greeted with a surprising handwritten sign when they boarded a taxi, where the driver asked for his customers to put their seatbelts on so he could avoid being fined.

A photo of the sign was uploaded onto the Facebook group "Professional PHV Drivers Singapore" on Jul. 28.

"Please put the seatbelt on"

In the photo, strips of tape bearing the driver's message were stuck onto the headrest and the backseat of the passenger's seat.

The message, scrawled in all caps, estimated that the driver's daily earnings were S$70 per day and said he could not afford to be fined by the Traffic Police if he wanted to feed his family.

A S$150 fine, according to the message, would mean that the driver would not be able to feed their family for two days.

"Understand my situation," the driver wrote in all caps. "Put seatbelt on or I cancel trip."

A second piece of tape read, "Please put on the seat belt and remain buckled till the end. I can't afford S$150 fine."

The message on the tape also made a reference to spot checks by the Traffic Police.

If caught, both passenger and driver will be fined

According to the Road Traffic Act, drivers and all passengers must wear seatbelts in the car, and the driver must ensure that passengers comply with such rules.

If caught, both passenger and driver would be fined.

If a driver fails to wear a seatbelt or does not ensure every passenger wears a seatbelt, he is liable to a fine of S$150 and a deduction of three demerit points, as stated by the Singapore Police Force.

Top image via Professional PHV Drivers Singapore/Facebook and Canva.