10 months’ jail for lorry driver who hit and killed woman, 79
A lorry driver, with a history of errant driving, hit a 79-year-old woman who was walking across a zebra crossing in Marine Parade.
The victim Bernadette Mah Sui Har died from a head injury on the same day in February.
On Dec 20, the driver, 40-year-old Indian national Sivalingam Suresh, was sentenced to 10 months’ jail after pleading guilty to one charge of driving without due care and attention causing death.
He will also be disqualified from holding or obtaining all classes of driving licences for eight years after his release.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Benedict Teong said Sivalingam was on shift at about 11.30am on Feb 28, 2023, and was driving his lorry along Marine Terrace towards Marine Crescent.
The prosecutor said he failed to proceed with due care and attention as he approached a zebra crossing alongside Ngee Ann Primary School, and did not notice Ms Mah crossing the road.
Sivalingam did not stop and collided into her.
Ms Mah was taken to Changi General Hospital.
A scan revealed that she suffered multiple injuries including a skull fracture and bleeding on the surface of her brain.
She was pronounced dead at about 7pm.
DPP Teong noted that at that time of the accident the traffic flow was light and the road surface was damp.
He also said the weather was fine and visibility was good.
Neither was there evidence to suggest that possible mechanical failure of the lorry – which underwent a mechanical inspection after the accident – could have caused or contributed to the accident.
The prosecutor asked the court to sentence Sivalingam to 10 to 11 months’ jail and impose a driving ban of eight years.
He cited Sivalingam’s history of driving offences, which included inconsiderate driving and failure to conform to a red light.
In mitigation, Sivalingam, who did not have a lawyer, expressed his remorse at causing the death of an elderly woman and that he was the sole breadwinner supporting his family in India, including his two-year-old son and his wife, who had severed her hand in an accident.
“It depends on me to support my family by driving in Singapore. I’m very reliant on this job, your Honour,” he said.
For causing death by driving vehicle without due care and attention, Sivalingam could have been jailed for up three years and fined up to $10,000.
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