Man who drove against flow of traffic on AYE jailed four weeks
Engineer drove against traffic after beer-drinking session
An engineer who was driving home in his red BMW after a drinking session with friends entered Ayer Rajah Expressway (AYE) and headed in the wrong direction after missing a turn.
Brandon Ng Hai Chong, 31, continued to drive against the flow of traffic on the expressway for about 2km before he entered a slip road and headed for his home in Jubilee Road, off West Coast Road.
Ng, who pleaded guilty to dangerous driving in November, was sentenced to four weeks' jail yesterday. He was also disqualified from driving all classes of vehicles for five years.
The court heard that Ng had joined some friends for a drinking session at the Arena Country Club in Upper Jurong Road at around 7pm on Jan 4 last year and they shared four beer towers.
Ng admitted that he drank three to four glasses of beer before leaving the premises about six hours later. One of his friends offered to call him a valet but he refused, said Deputy Public Prosecutor Gabriel Choong.
Ng was driving home on Clementi Avenue 6 when he missed a left turn into the AYE in the direction of the city. Instead, he entered the expressway and headed towards Tuas.
DPP Choong said: "The accused executed a U-turn into the rightmost lane of the expressway to go against the flow of traffic. From 1.26am to 1.28am, the accused drove against the flow of traffic along this lane. At least three vehicles had to switch lanes to avoid colliding into him. Traffic flow was moderate at that time."
As Ng approached the slip road into Clementi Avenue 2, he stopped his BMW, turned on his hazard lights and flashed his high beam headlights at oncoming traffic.
At least four other vehicles had to take "evasive action" to avoid him this time, the court heard.
Ng then made another U-turn into the third lane of the AYE to go with the flow of traffic. He then entered the slip road into Clementi Avenue 2 and headed towards home, which was two junctions away.
Ng is appealing against the sentence and was offered bail of $15,000.
Those convicted of dangerous driving for the first time can be jailed for up to a year and fined up to $5,000. Repeat offenders can be jailed for up to two years and fined up to $10,000.
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