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Jail for taxi driver who crashed into student after being distracted by incoming booking

SINGAPORE — A former taxi driver with ComfortDelGro was on Tuesday (Dec 1) jailed three months and banned from driving for two years after he collided into an 18-year-old pedestrian at a zebra crossing in 2017.

Screengrab from Google Street View of the zebra crossing near HomeTeamNS Bukit Batok, along Bukit Batok West Avenue 7.

Screengrab from Google Street View of the zebra crossing near HomeTeamNS Bukit Batok, along Bukit Batok West Avenue 7.

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  • An 18-year-old victim sitting for the GCE A-Level exams was a victim in a road accident  
  • She suffered traumatic brain injury, including a skull fracture and brain contusions
  • Taxi driver Eu Hock Leng was distracted by his vehicle’s mobile display terminal 
  • He was jailed three months and barred from driving for two years


SINGAPORE — A former taxi driver with ComfortDelGro was on Tuesday (Dec 1) jailed three months and banned from driving for two years after he collided into an 18-year-old pedestrian at a zebra crossing in 2017.

The victim, now 20, was in the midst of her GCE A-Level examinations at the time and could not complete the exams because she suffered traumatic brain injury, including a skull fracture and brain contusions.

The impact of the crash sent her flying in front of the taxi. 

The court heard that at about 7.30pm on Nov 17, 2017, taxi driver Eu Hock Leng rammed into the student at a zebra crossing along Bukit Batok West Avenue 7 as he was checking and pressing buttons on his taxi’s mobile display terminal. 

He had seen a booking pop up on the screen.

The 64-year-old pleaded guilty to one charge of causing grievous hurt by performing an act so rashly as to endanger human life. 

He admitted that he did not pay attention to what was in his vehicle’s path and did not notice the zebra crossing, which was elevated.

The victim was only a few metres from the other side of the road when she was hit. 

Eu’s taxi was moving at more than 20km/h.

HIGH DEGREE OF HARM

In passing sentence, District Judge Jasvender Kaur said she agreed that Eu’s failure to pay attention was “so complete and egregious” because he realised that he had hit someone only when he felt an impact and saw someone flying in front of his taxi.

Eu was certified physically and mentally fit to hold a vocational licence to drive a public service vehicle on Nov 19, 2016, but suffered a minor stroke in May 2017 that slowed his movement. 

He also developed chronic insomnia and other health conditions before meeting with the accident.

Eu’s medical conditions and medication might have impaired his ability to drive at the time, and District Judge Kaur said that if that were the case, he ought not to have driven since he was a hazard to other road users and himself.

“He should have, at the very least, asked a medical practitioner to reassess his fitness to drive,” she added.

The judge said that this was not a case where Eu faced “sudden incapacitation” because of his ailments.

She added that Eu caused a high degree of harm to the student, who had to undergo intensive rehabilitation, including physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy, for motor dysfunction and cognitive impairment.

The court heard that the victim cried and vomited upon impact, and was observed to be drowsy and on the verge of being unconscious.

Soon after the collision, her childhood friend rushed to the scene as she was at a nearby church and found Eu looking frantic — he kept saying “I don’t know”.

Eu told the victim's friend in Mandarin that he was on the other side of the road and had made a U-turn near the HomeTeamNS Bukit Batok clubhouse. He added that his taxi did not have any dent or scratch from the accident. 

Eu then exclaimed “aiyah” (a Singlish phrase expressing dismay), before saying he was responding to a booking and did not see the victim. He also said that the victim was so close to the pavement and that she almost made it to the other side.

Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Ng Jun Chong said that Eu was conscious of the risk of using the mobile display terminal while driving and knew that not keeping an eye on the road could cause others grievous hurt.

ComfortDelGro told TODAY that Eu’s contract was terminated after the accident. It said: "We are very sorry for this most unfortunate accident."

Asked if the taxi company has an advisory regarding the use of its mobile display terminals, Ms Tammy Tan, its group chief corporate communications officer, said: "Our cabbies have been told to observe safety rules and to keep their eyes on the roads at all times when they are driving."

The victim continues to be haunted by the effects from the accident. 

An August 2018 medical report stated that she had a mild impairment in high language functions, such as planning, auditory memory as well as comprehension and numerical problem-solving.

The report noted that she could carry out activities of daily living independently, but had problems with complex working memory and multi-tasking. She also continued to suffer a hearing impairment due to the presence of blood in the middle of her ear.

DPP Ng said that the victim experienced a tremendous sense of loss and other negative emotions because she felt “very disabled” on account of her reliance on her family during her recovery.

She still has back pain when sitting on the floor and remains affected emotionally whenever she is reminded of the accident, he added. 

Eu could have been jailed up to four years or fined up to S$10,000, or given both penalties. 

Related topics

accident comfortdelgro taxi driver court crime

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