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Veteran lawyer admits negligent driving that caused motorcyclist’s death along AYE in 2018

SINGAPORE — While driving along the Ayer Rajah Expressway (AYE) in 2018, Laurence Goh Eng Yau failed to keep a safe distance from the car in front, then abruptly swerved when the vehicle braked due to traffic congestion.

The fatal accident along the Ayer Rajah Expressway on Sept 12, 2018. The body of the motorcyclist has been blurred out.
The fatal accident along the Ayer Rajah Expressway on Sept 12, 2018. The body of the motorcyclist has been blurred out.
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  • Laurence Goh Eng Yau caused a pile-up on the AYE in 2018 when he failed to keep a safe distance from the car in front
  • The veteran lawyer swerved to avoid the car when it braked suddenly but in doing so, he side-swiped a motorcyclist in the next lane
  • He pushed the 33-year-old into the path of a lorry, which fatally ran over him
  • Goh has not been sentenced after admitting to committing a negligent act causing death

 

SINGAPORE — While driving along the Ayer Rajah Expressway (AYE) in 2018, Laurence Goh Eng Yau failed to keep a safe distance from the car in front, then abruptly swerved when the vehicle braked due to traffic congestion.

The veteran lawyer then side-swiped a motorcyclist in the next lane, causing the 33-year-old to fall into a lorry’s path. The lorry driver had no time to stop and fatally ran over the motorcyclist.

On Monday (April 11), Goh pleaded guilty in a district court to causing death by committing a negligent act. He will return to court on April 29 to be sentenced and remains out on bail.

According to Ministry of Law records, Goh, 57, is the sole proprietor of a small eponymous law firm and was called to the Bar in 1990.

The court heard that the accident — which involved a total of six cars, two motorcycles and a lorry — took place on Sept 12, 2018.

That day, Goh had risen at about 5.30am and driven his children to school before heading to work.

He left his office along Cantonment Road that afternoon and intended to go to Bukit Panjang. He drove his car on the rightmost lane of the AYE, in the direction of Tuas, at about 5.20pm.

The weather was clear, the road surface was dry and traffic flow was heavy at the time.

Due to traffic congestion, a driver who was two cars in front of Goh braked.

The driver directly in front of Goh, Mr Kwok Chien Ping, had slowed down to leave a bigger distance between his vehicle and the car in front of him.

Mr Kwok was thus able to slow down and stop, but Goh failed to keep a proper lookout for the traffic and traffic conditions ahead of him, as well as failed to keep a safe following distance from Mr Kwok’s vehicle.

“As a result, while it was apparent that Mr Kwok’s vehicle and the vehicles ahead of it had braked and come to a standstill due to traffic congestion, the accused continued to travel forward,” Deputy Public Prosecutor Lim Shin Hui told the court.

Goh braked when he noticed Mr Kwok had stopped, but was too close to the rear of Mr Kwok’s car.

He then abruptly swerved out into the next lane to avoid a collision but did not check for vehicles in the next lane.

Goh ended up sideswiping Malaysian motorcyclist Wong Yew Wai, who had been riding in the next lane slightly behind his car. Goh also collided with the back of Mr Kwok’s vehicle.

Wong was pushed to the third lane and into the path of Mr Chia Kok Chye’s lorry. Mr Chia was unable to stop in time and ran over Wong before coming to a stop.

Goh continued swerving and eventually came to a stop between the second and third lanes of the expressway.

The driver behind Goh managed to brake hard and stop in time, but others behind him had no time to do the same. This sparked a chain collision, including with Mr Kwok’s car.

Mr Kwok’s passenger was diagnosed with a neck strain as a result of the accident.

Police officers and paramedics arrived at the scene and pronounced Wong dead.

The prosecution is seeking at least three weeks' jail and a driving ban of at least five years for Goh.

Goh could be jailed for up to two years or fined, or punished with both, for causing death by a negligent act. He may also be subject to a driving ban.

Related topics

court crime traffic accident negligent negligence driving chain collision

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