Jam brake & endanger others with your vehicle? S'pore looking into jailing such drivers longer.

Singapore is proposing a new offence to target the misuse of a vehicle as a dangerous weapon.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) tabled the Road Traffic (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill in parliament on Jul. 7.

Under the proposed offence of purposeful endangerment using a vehicle causing death or grievous hurt, culprits can face penalties more proportionate to their culpability and harm caused, MHA said.

Currently, such drivers cannot be convicted for murder or culpable homicide, unless it can be proven beyond reasonable doubt that they intended to kill or knew that the act was likely to cause death, MHA also noted.

Grievous hurt has been included in the offence as whether a victim ultimately dies may be beyond the offender's control, MHA added.

Past cases

In the case of Jarrett Tee Lee Kiat, he was sentenced to five years and eight months’ jail after pleading guilty to dangerous driving.

He had showed no remorse after causing the death of a teen, 18, during a race along the expressway.

Under the new proposed offence of purposeful endangerment using a vehicle causing death or grievous hurt, those guilty can be jailed for up to 15 years, fined, caned and disqualified from driving for life.

The minimum jail term is at least 10 years, if there are special reasons.

Currently, a first-time offender is likely to be charged with dangerous driving causing death instead, which carries a maximum eight years’ jail.

The Bill also increases penalties for dangerous and careless driving causing grievous hurt.

In the case of Yoong Kok Kai, he had his jail term increased from three-and-a-half years to five years for causing an accident while drunk.

He had driven drunk and hit an auxiliary police officer at Tuas Checkpoint that left the man in a vegetative state.

For dangerous driving causing grievous hurt, the Bill will see the maximum jail time raised.

First-time offenders can be jailed up to seven years instead of five years.

Repeat offenders can be jailed up to 13 years instead of 10 years.

There are no proposed changes to the maximums for careless driving causing grievous hurt.

The additional penalties due to aggravating factors will also be raised for both offences.

Serious offenders will face up to 18 months additional jail time.

It is currently one year.

Serious repeat offenders will face additional jail time of up to three years and six months.

It is two years maximum currently.

The Bill also shifts the commencement of the disqualification period to after the convicted person's release from prison, even if the jail term is for an unrelated offence.

The court can also order the vehicle to be forfeited.