Traffic Police crack down on errant heavy-vehicle drivers, 25 caught in one operation

SINGAPORE — A total of 26 summonses were issued by the Traffic Police against 25 heavy-vehicle drivers for various traffic offences during an operation on Thursday (Aug 15) morning. 

The enforcement operation was conducted together with officers from the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and the National Environment Agency (NEA).

The 26 summonses were given for offences ranging from speeding to failing to keep left on an expressway.

Besides these, there were 39 violations of LTA regulations such as improper size and placement of number plates, tinted windows and overloading. NEA issued a summons to a driver for excessive smoke emission from the heavy vehicle.  

TODAY saw the action up close as the various personnel took the errant drivers to task.

Typically, a Traffic Police officer would tail and signal the driver who was flouting the rules to stop by the side of the road. The officer would then explain why he pulled the driver over and the offence the driver had committed.

Even though some drivers tried to protest and reason their way out of the situation, the officers remained calm and explained again why a ticket for a specific traffic offence had to be given. 

One lorry driver, for instance, was stopped when he was caught using his mobile phone while driving, which could earn him a fine of up to S$500 and 12 demerit points. 

Assistant Superintendent (ASP) Anthony Lim, the officer-in-charge of the Special Operations team, said that the Traffic Police conduct regular islandwide operations against errant heavy-vehicle drivers because such vehicles are able to cause fatalities and greater damage to infrastructure in the event of accidents.

Last year, there were 776 accidents involving heavy vehicles, with a total of 26 fatalities and 1,174 injuries, the police said in a statement on Thursday.  

One case happened last April, when three pedestrians were killed after being hit by a lorry near Yio Chu Kang MRT Station.

The 25-year-old man behind the wheel was arrested for dangerous driving causing death.  

ASP Lim said that all motorists should do their part and stay alert on the roads by “practising good RoadSense” — or have good attitudes towards road safety — in order to help keep the roads safe for everyone.

Besides enforcement, the Traffic Police will continue to engage heavy-vehicle drivers and their companies to adopt good practices for safer driving, the police said.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this article stated that the operation on Aug 15 lasted for two hours. This is incorrect. Media were embedded with the traffic police for two hours but the operation lasted longer than that.