Bus that rolled down slope and killed woman had faulty handbrake
A woman was killed in 2016 after a parked funeral bus rolled down a slope and hit her.
On Monday, State Coroner Kamala Ponnampalam said the death of Madam Ong Lim, 68, was an unfortunate traffic misadventure, stating the bus had an ineffective handbrake.
In September 2016, bus driver Mohamed Ramlee Mohamed Ali had parked his vehicle, a passenger hearse from the Singapore Muslim Casket and Marble Contractor, by the roadside.
He went to a nearby mosque to pray after transporting a body to a flat in Bukit Panjang.
Mr Ramlee, now 62, turned the front tyres to the left, pulled the handbrake until it could be pulled no more and turned off the engine before alighting.
But about 45 minutes later, he went out and saw the bus had travelled down the left side of the grass verge and had stopped near the slip road.
Madam Ong was believed to have been waiting for a taxi next to the road.
Large tyre marks were found across her abdomen. She died in the hospital about two hours later from multiple injuries.
Closed circuit TV footage shows the bus moving forward down the slope, veering to the left and mounting the kerb before travelling down the grass verge.
Mechanic Lim Kean Keong, who had conducted an inspection of the bus, said the handbrake and hand carrier were found to be in good condition, but were not calibrated well.
Senior automotive engineer Tan Jit Shee said the handbrake was found too high and ineffective.
He added the slope was quite steep, and the bus should have at least a wheel choke block placed behind the wheel.
No other mechanical defects were found on the bus.
Mr Ramlee's lawyer, Mr Deepak Natverlal, said his client was initially charged with causing death due to negligent act, but was later granted a discharge not amounting to an acquittal after Mr Deepak raised issues about the handbrake.
Mr Ramlee, who was in court on Monday, said he was still with the company but now drives a van.
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