S$1,000 fine, 9-month driving ban for man who sped at 201km/h along ECP

SINGAPORE — A motorist was given the maximum fine of S$1,000 and a nine-month driving ban on Wednesday (Feb 16) for speeding at 201km/h on the East Coast Parkway (ECP) expressway.

Allan Ong, 34, claimed in court that he had exceeded the speed limit by 111 km/h on the evening of Sept 3, 2020 because he was trying to ferry his drunk wife home and she was “trying to do something funny”.

The expressway has a speed limit of 90 km/h. Court documents did not state the type of vehicle Ong was driving.

Ong pleaded guilty to a single speeding charge under the Road Traffic Act, while District Judge Salina Ishak took into consideration two other charges for sentencing.

One was for giving false information to a public servant, while the other was for failing to wear a mask over his nose and mouth at the carpark of a Marine Terrace block of flats half an hour after the speeding incident.

Court documents showed that four days later, he lied to an investigation officer from the police at the void deck of the same block of flats. He denied knowing the identity of the individual who drove the car.

A police prosecutor sought the maximum fine and a disqualification period of 10 months, saying that a strong deterrent message should be sent “for such irresponsible driving at such a high speed”.

In mitigation, Ong — who did not have a lawyer — asked for a lenient sentence as he has four children and is the sole breadwinner of his family.

He also asked for leniency in terms of the disqualification period, saying that his driving licence had already been suspended for more than 18 months.

District Judge Salina then questioned him: “Why were you driving at such a high speed? What were you trying to achieve, Mr Ong?”

He responded: “Because I was rushing my wife home that day. She was drunk and she was trying to do something funny.”

The judge told him: “You had put both your lives in danger by driving at such a high speed.” He then apologised and claimed that it was his first speeding offence.

First-time offenders who speed can be jailed for up to three months or fined up to S$1,000. Those who commit a second or subsequent offence can be jailed for up to six months or fined up to S$2,000.

They can also be disqualified from holding or obtaining a driving licence for any period a court sees fit.