Teacher fined for accident that left elderly rider with multiple fractures
A teacher failed to keep a proper lookout while driving a car, resulting in a collision with an elderly motorcyclist who suffered injuries including rib fractures.
David Chang Hao Hsi, 45, a teacher at CHIJ St Nicholas Girls’ School at the time of the accident, was fined $2,300 on Jan 29 after he pleaded guilty to causing hurt to another person while driving without reasonable consideration for other road users.
He was also disqualified from holding or obtaining all classes of driving licences for 15 months.
Chang had failed to keep a proper lookout while making a left turn from the slip road of Lorong 1 Toa Payoh into Lorong 6 at around 6.45am on Feb 24, 2022.
Chang’s car then encroached into an elderly motorcyclist’s path and a collision occurred between the two vehicles.
Defence lawyer Foo Ho Chew said that Chang took the 75-year-old rider to hospital and the victim was warded for three days.
Responding to queries from The Straits Times, the Ministry of Education (MOE) said that it takes a serious view of staff misconduct and will take disciplinary action against those who fail to adhere to its standards of conduct and discipline.
Its spokesperson added: “MOE will follow up with disciplinary proceedings, if need be, after the court case has concluded.”
In his mitigation plea, Mr Foo told the court that the weather was stormy at the time of the accident.
He said: “The unlit surroundings and the heavy rain beating against the windscreen caused visibility to be very poor indeed... Under the circumstances, our client was moving very cautiously and slowly forward.
“He could only see up to a short distance of a few metres in the front, side and back.”
Mr Foo also said that after the accident occurred, Chang got out of his vehicle to help the motorcyclist and took him to the hospital.
Chang had accompanied the victim until his admission was settled, added the lawyer.
The court heard that the teacher, who is remorseful, has since sold his car and had decided to not go behind the steering wheel of a car again.
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