Man, 26, drove against flow of traffic, caused collision along Bras Basah Rd, 3 vapes found in car

A 26-year-old man will be charged in court on Dec. 18 for driving under the influence of a drug and for dangerous driving.

This is the first case where a motorist will be charged for a traffic offence involving etomidate abuse, the police said in a Dec. 18 news release.

What happened

The man drove against the flow of traffic along Supreme Court Lane on Jul. 14 between 5:40pm and 6:30pm.

He then drove straight through a traffic junction on a right turn-only lane in heavy traffic, into the path of another vehicle.

He did not slow down, which resulted in a collision with the vehicle along Bras Basah Road towards Raffles Boulevard near Bencoolen Street.

When police officers attended to the scene, they observed that the man exhibited signs of impairment, including slurred speech, drooping eyelids and delayed responses to questions.

He was unable to provide a coherent account of how the accident occurred.

A handheld breathanalyser test yielded a negative result for alcohol.

Search conducted

A search of his car found three e-vaporisers and a packet of contraband cigarettes.

The man was arrested, and subsequent blood analysis by the Health Sciences Authority detected etomidate in his blood sample.

No one was injured, the police added.

Penalties

Etomidate was classified as Class C controlled drugs under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1973 on Sep. 1, 2025.

The man will be charged with driving under the influence of a drug and dangerous driving.

The offence of driving under the influence of a drug carries a fine ranging from S$2,000 to S$10,000, or a jail term of up to 12 months, or both.

In the case of a second or subsequent conviction, the offence carries a fine ranging from S$5,000 to S$20,000, and a jail term of up to two years, or both.

Offenders may also face disqualification from driving all classes of vehicle.

The offence of dangerous driving carries a fine of up to S$5,000, or a jail term of up to 12 months, or both.

In the case of a second or subsequent conviction, offenders are liable to a fine of up to S$10,000, or a jail term of up to two years, or both.

Offenders may also face disqualification from driving all classes of vehicle.

The police said they will take very tough action against motorists who drive under the influence of drugs, psychoactive substances, intoxicating substances or alcohol.

Top photos via Singapore Police Force