Road Traffic (Amendment) Bill introduced in Parliament yesterday (10 Jan) will increase maximum fines for offenses of altering vehicles illegally and for driving recklessly or dangerously, and also introduces specific penalties.
Fines for driving recklessly or dangerously will also be increased to up to $5,000, or an imprisonment for a term of up to a year or both. The current maximum fine is $3,000.
For repeat offenders, the current penalties are a fine of $5,000 or a jail term of up to two years, or both. The proposed bill will increase the fine to $10,000.
Those caught altering their vehicles illegally shall be liable to a fine of up to $5,000, an imprisonment for a term up to three months, or both. The current maximum fine is $2,000.
For those caught a second and subsequent time, shall be liable to a fine of up to $10,000, an imprisonment for a term of up to six months, or both. The current maximum fine is $5,000.
The revised punishments is aligned with similar offenses in the Active Mobility Act, regarding personal mobility devices and other vehicles used on public paths.
The bill also proposes a specific punishment for motorists who leave their vehicles on the road in a position or condition that can cause danger, obstruction, or undue inconvenience to other users of the road or to traffic.
Motorists caught with such offense could face fines of up to $2,000 or an imprisonment term of up to three months, or both. And for a second or subsequent time convictions could be fined up to $5,000, or a jail time of up to six months, or both.
In relation with the development of automated vehicle technology, the a new section in the bill also proposes to make it an offense for an individual to hinder or obstruct any trials involving autonomous vehicles knowingly.
Hindering or obstructing mentioned in the bill is, for example, deliberately throw objects or walk in front of autonomous motor vehicles that are on trial, to test the reaction of the vehicle’s sensors.” The penalty is a fine up to $5,000.
The objectives that the proposed bill is said to aimed at achieving are:
- To establish a regulatory framework for the undertaking of trials and use on Singapore roads of driver-less vehicles;
- To regulate holders of vocational licenses who are affiliated drivers of private hire car booking service operators;
- To support the move towards paperless vehicle licenses;
- To validate the collection of certain sums which would have been valid if the law had been in force.