Seems like the penalties for road traffic offences (such as drink driving) will soon be up for review — Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs and National Development, Desmond Lee, stated that more stringent penalties would act as a stronger deterrent against irresponsible drivers.
According to The Straits Times, he said the government “will seek to increase the penalties for offences that result in death or hurt to others”, and pointed in particular to examples where drivers are repeat offenders or are intoxicated or under the influence of drugs.
Even though the number of arrests concerning drink drivers dropped by 13 percent from last year to this year’s 1,540 motorists, Singapore still saw 103 of these accidents occurring in the first three quarters of 2016. The consequences were three deaths and 153 injuries.
The maximum penalty for drink driving (over the legal limit of 0.8mg/ml) is a $5,000 fine or six months’ jail on the first conviction, and 12 months’ jail subsequently. The convicted will also be disqualified from driving for at least a year. And if there was a fatality involved in the reckless driving accident, the convicted can be jailed for up to five years.
The review is still in its initial phase, and more details will be released in the upcoming months.
