Jail for cabby whose taxi hit road worker after he fell asleep at the wheel
A taxi driver, who started work at 2.30pm and was still on the road around 2am the next day, fell asleep at the wheel before his vehicle struck a man who was carrying out road works.
Mr Madhavan Naveen Kumar, 25, suffered multiple injuries, including a fracture on his skull and bleeding in his brain.
He was warded for 14 days and given more than 100 days of medical leave.
Ong Boon Leong, 64, who was a cabby at the time, was sentenced to two months’ jail on Dec 18 after he pleaded guilty to causing grievous hurt to Mr Madhavan after driving the taxi without due care and attention.
He was also disqualified from holding or obtaining all classes of driving licences for five years from his date of release.
Ong started driving the taxi at 2.30pm on Sept 13, 2022, and was supposed to end work at 1.15am the next day.
Despite this, he was still behind the wheel shortly before 2am on Sept 14. He was driving along Queensway towards Portsdown Avenue when he nodded off.
The vehicle then struck Mr Madhavan, who was rushed to hospital.
The Automobile Association of Singapore states on its website that motorists need to know when they have to stop driving and have a rest.
It advises drowsy drivers to slow down and try to get off the road safely, adding: “Pull over to a parking spot and grab a few minutes of rest. Get a drink of water or refresh yourself with a wet wipe or tissue. If you still feel sleepy after all that, then it is best to park your (vehicle) and grab (another ride) instead.”
For causing grievous hurt to another person by driving without due care and attention, an offender can be jailed for up to two years and fined up to $5,000.
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