Cabby jailed a week over fatal Eunos accident
A cabby was sentenced to a week's jail and was banned from driving for four years for negligently causing the death of an elderly pedestrian.
Siow Teck Chai, 66, yesterday admitted to failing to keep a proper lookout and knocking into Mr Goh Chin Hock, 71, at the T-junction of Jalan Eunos and Eunos Crescent on May 8.
The court heard that Siow, who has been a cabby for 18 years, was driving his taxi along Jalan Eunos - on the first lane of the four-lane road - at 8.15pm that day.
As he approached the T-junction, he saw the traffic light turning amber and stepped on the accelerator even as cars in the other lanes slowed down.
He did not notice Mr Goh, who had begun crossing at the pedestrian crossing without waiting for the green man. By the time the cabby saw him, it was too late.
HIT PEDESTRIAN
Even though Siow stepped on the brakes immediately, he could not stop his vehicle from ploughing into Mr Goh, who was thrown onto the windscreen and landed on the right side of the taxi.
Mr Goh was taken to Changi General Hospital with extensive head injuries and fractures to his collarbone, pelvis and ribs.
He died from his multiple injuries the next day.
Yesterday, District Judge Shawn Ho said during sentencing that Siow should have kept a proper lookout at the traffic junction, and a life was unfortunately lost.
But the judge noted that Mr Goh had to shoulder some of the blame for using the pedestrian crossing when the light was not in his favour.
For causing death by a negligent act, Siow could have been jailed up to two years and fined.
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