No licence or insurance: S$1,400 fine for lorry driver involved in Yio Chu Kang accident that left 3 dead

SINGAPORE — A 27-year-old Singapore permanent resident who was involved in a fatal traffic accident near Yio Chu Kang MRT station last year was fined S$1,400 in a district court on Monday (Oct 14).

He was also banned from driving for one year.

Xu Kai Xiang, a safety supervisor at his father’s company, pleaded guilty to two charges of driving the firm’s lorry without the relevant licence and insurance.

Last week, the Chinese national was granted a discharge not amounting to an acquittal for causing the death of three elderly pedestrians by driving dangerously along Ang Mo Kio Avenue 6 towards Marymount Road.

This means that the charge could be revived and he could be prosecuted for it later, depending on the findings of a pending coroner’s inquiry into the deaths.

Xu was originally charged with failing to keep proper control of his lorry at about 9.30am on April 23 last year. He mounted the kerb and hit the railings, before surging forward and hitting the three pedestrians.

They were father and daughter — Chua Cheng Thong, 86, and Gina Chua Aye Wah, 58 — and their friend, 63-year-old Yap Soon Huat. All three died at the scene.

Xu's lorry also ploughed into a stationary SBS Transit double-decker bus, partially shattering its windscreen. He was charged in hospital as he was injured in the accident as well.

Xu needed to have a Class 3 qualified driving licence to drive the lorry but he had only a Class 3A, which meant that he could drive only automatic transmission vehicles.

His father believed he had the necessary licence so he allowed Xu to drive the lorry, as well as his personal car.

Xu began driving the lorry in January 2018 and joined his father’s company, Chang Fu Pte Ltd, the following month.

He drove the company’s workers offsite every day and was on his way to collect a parcel when the accident took place.