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Harsher punishments for reckless motorists on cards

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New classes of offences in proposed changes to Road Traffic Act

Reckless and irresponsible motorists will find themselves staring at longer jail terms and steeper fines and possibly have their vehicles seized, as the authorities look to harden the law to make roads safer.

Revealing proposed changes to the Road Traffic Act yesterday, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Home Affairs and National Development Sun Xueling said: "We want to increase the penalties for motorists who drive irresponsibly and cause serious accidents.

"This will deter them and ensure that they receive sentences that are commensurate with the harm they caused."

Two new classes of offences - dangerous driving and careless driving - will kick in, corresponding broadly to the offences of rash act and negligent act under the Penal Code.

They will be distinguished through factors such as whether the motorist was driving at excessively high speeds or manoeuvring a vehicle close to others.

Other considerations will include whether a motorist was sleep deprived, in a state to drive safely and exercised the extra care that a situation required.

Each offence will have four tiers of severity, depending on the harm caused, such as death, grievous hurt, hurt and endangering a life.

Those found guilty of dangerous driving could face a maximum jail term of eight years for the first offence, up from the corresponding current penalty of five years.

Up to an extra two years of jail could be added if the dangerous driver was under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Such motorists could potentially be behind bars for 10 years in total.

Offenders will also face a minimum sentence of at least a year if death or grievous hurt is caused. The jail sentence will be doubled for repeat offenders.

The courts will also be able to impose a minimum disqualification period of eight years if there was death or grievous hurt.

Those convicted of careless driving may face up to three years in jail for the first offence, with sentences for repeat offenders doubled.

This is up from the current jail term of a maximum of six months for first-time offenders.

"The basis for higher penalties is that motorists, being in control of a vehicle that they know can potentially cause great harm to other road users, ought to exercise greater care and responsibility," the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said in a statement yesterday.

Current laws allow vehicle seizures only in certain situations, such as illegal racing, but this could change.

From April 1, the MHA will also be raising the composition fine sums for road traffic offences involving motorists, pedestrians and cyclists.

For motorists, these include illegal U-turns, the use of mobile devices while driving, speeding and running red lights.

A motorist who runs a red light may be fined between $400 and $500, up from $200 to $230 now.

COURT & CRIME