25 summonses issued during covert operation by Traffic Police
There were 776 accidents involving heavy vehicles last year, up from 765 such accidents in 2017, according to the Traffic Police (TP).
The accidents last year resulted in 1,174 persons suffering injuries, and 26 fatalities.
In its efforts to keep the roads safe, TP conducted a covert operation against errant heavy vehicle drivers yesterday.
The joint operation with the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and the National Environment Agency (NEA) was to check for a range of offences.
These included speeding, running red lights, failing to keep left, seat-belt offences and careless driving.
More than 20 officers from TP, LTA and NEA were deployed for the operation.
During the operation, 26 summonses were issued against 25 heavy vehicle drivers.
Around 10am, The New Paper witnessed a motorbike fleet of about eight TP officers and four LTA officers take to the roads from a heavy vehicle parking area in Queensway.
Several NEA officers were also stationed there to conduct smoke tests on heavy vehicles brought in by officers.
In less than an hour, LTA officers had stopped an eight-wheeler on the Ayer-Rajah Expressway towards Keppel before the Jalan Bukit Merah exit, for an excluded vehicle offence.
According to LTA, excluded vehicles such as ready-mix concrete trucks are generally not allowed on expressways unless they are used for carrying out maintenance, repair and cleaning on the expressways.
The driver in this case did not have a permit to travel on the expressway at that time.
It was one of the 39 LTA offences that were detected during the operation, such as improper number plates, tinted windows and overloading.
NEA also issued one summons to a heavy vehicle driver for vehicular smoke emission.
Assistant Superintendent Lim Tiong Lam Anthony told the media that TP conducts regular islandwide operations against errant heavy vehicle drivers.
These vehicles are likely to cause greater damage and loss of lives in accidents.
He added: "All motorists should play their part in staying alert on the roads by practising good road sense and help keep the roads safe for everyone."
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