‘Extremely dangerous’ for passenger to be sticking out of sunroof: Road safety expert
A video of a passenger sticking out of the sunroof on a moving GetGo rental car has gone viral on social media.
In the video, a person with shoulder-length hair in a pale yellow T-shirt is seen sticking out of the top of the car, which made two turns at two traffic junctions.
The gender and age of the person are unknown, although the Facebook post refers to the person as a toddler.
The 35-second video, which was posted on the Beh Chia Lor – Singapore Road Facebook page on Monday, has garnered at least 32,000 views as 8pm on Tuesday.
The incident is said to have taken place at night in Orchard Road, according to the Facebook post.
Singapore Road Safety Council chairman Bernard Tay said he was “shocked” to see the video.
He said such behaviour was “extremely dangerous” and that “we have to nip this problem in the bud before it becomes prevalent”.
Mr Tay added that obstacles such as low-hanging tree branches could have hurt the person, and that the fact that it happened at night meant that visibility was limited, and both the driver and the errant passenger might not see such obstacles in time to avoid them.
Also, if the car had stopped abruptly, the person could be flung out of the vehicle, he said.
Car-sharing platform GetGo said it is aware of the incident and has contacted the user.
A GetGo spokesman said its users are required to follow all road safety and traffic rules, which include ensuring all passengers have their seatbelts fastened.
“We take these issues seriously,” said the spokesman. “Car-sharing is a communal service and we are proactively engaging with our community to educate and encourage them to take care of the vehicles so others can enjoy the drive.”
The spokesman said users who inconvenience other road users will be penalised, with the penalty dependent on the severity of the offence. In severe cases, the user’s account would be suspended immediately and for the course of the investigation.
Repeat offenders would be banned from the platform.
Lawyer Cory Wong from Invictus Law Corporation said the driver in the video can be charged with dangerous driving. Assuming no one was hurt, offenders can be fined up to $5,000, jailed for up to 12 months, or both. The driver may also be disqualified from driving for a period of time.
The driver can also be punished for acting rashly and thereby endangering human life or the personal safety of others, he added. Offenders can be fined up to $2,500, jailed up to six months, or both.
Under the Road Traffic Act, the driver and passengers of a motor vehicle have to wear a seat belt. The driver must also ensure that every passenger in the vehicle is wearing a seat belt.
Motor vehicle passengers under 1.35m must be secured with an approved child restraint or body-restraining seat belt.
Drivers who fail to ensure this can be fined up to $1,000, or be jailed up to three months.
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