Jail, driving ban for woman who caused motorcyclist’s death, severe brain injuries to pillion
SINGAPORE — While driving to Changi Airport to pick up her husband last year, Kang Kai Xin tried to switch lanes — and ended up causing a four-car collision.

Kang Kai Xin was sentenced to three weeks’ jail and disqualified from driving all classes of vehicles for five years after causing an accident that led to the death of a motorcyclist and serious injuries for his pillion rider.
SINGAPORE — While driving to Changi Airport to pick up her husband last year, Kang Kai Xin tried to switch lanes — and ended up causing a four-car collision.
On top of that, a 28-year-old motorcyclist crashed into Kang’s car. He later died and his pillion rider suffered serious injuries, including multiple spinal and pelvic fractures as well as severe traumatic brain injury.
Kang, 32, was sentenced on Thursday (June 11) to three weeks’ jail and disqualified from driving all classes of vehicles for five years.
She had earlier pleaded guilty in a district court to one charge of causing motorcyclist Chew Chuan Chern’s death by a negligent act. A second charge of causing grievous hurt to his pillion rider, Ms Marie Hong, was taken into consideration for sentencing.
The court heard that on April 19 last year, Kang was driving along the Central Expressway towards the Ayer Rajah Expressway at about 11.45pm.
In her attempt to switch to the lane on her left, she collided into another car travelling on that lane. Kang had been driving at about 80 to 90 km/h.
Kang then abruptly swerved to the right and collided into a second car before hitting the guardrails on the right-most lane, where Chew was riding.
Chew, as well as a third car driver, could not brake in time and crashed into Kang’s car. The impact caused both Chew and his pillion rider to be flung off the motorcycle.
Kang alighted from her car and called for an ambulance.
When paramedics arrived, they pronounced Chew dead at the scene. He sustained a skull fracture and several other injuries.
Ms Hong was taken to Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) while Kang was sent to the Sengkang General Hospital. Kang had mild injuries such as superficial abrasions on her arms, and was alert when examined after the accident.
A medical report, dated five months after the accident, stated that Ms Hong’s injuries ranged from multiple fractures to severe traumatic brain injury and damage to her bladder.
Due to her brain injury, she suffered a “prolonged period of post-traumatic agitation and amnesia with visual hallucinations”, Deputy Public Prosecutor Edwin Soh told the court.
She was transferred to TTSH’s rehabilitation centre about two months after the accident and discharged on Oct 2 last year.
In mitigation, Kang’s lawyer Diana Ngiam agreed with the prosecution’s submission for the jail time and driving ban that was eventually imposed.
Ms Ngiam told the court that Kang has been struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder “as a consequence of the very unfortunate tragedy that happened”.
“I would like to reiterate her very sincere remorse,” the lawyer added.
Insurers are still dealing with the issue of compensation for the damage to the other three cars, Ms Ngiam said. The cost of repairing them ranged from S$9,019 to S$35,631.
Kang will begin serving her sentence on Friday.
She could have been jailed up to two years, fined, or both, for causing death by a negligent act not amounting to culpable homicide.