Driver who negligently caused pedestrian's death fined $8k, banned from driving for 8years
Published 2 hours ago
Amir Hussain
SINGAPORE - A 68-year-old driver who was parking her car mistakenly stepped on the accelerator pedal instead of the brake pedal, and crashed into a 65-year-old pedestrian at a carpark last year.
The pedestrian was pronounced dead on the spot about 10 minutes later by a paramedic.
On Monday (Feb 29), driver Tan Peng Sim was fined $8,000 and disqualified from driving for eight years.
She pleaded guilty to a charge of causing Madam Leong Wai Eng's death on Aug 26 last year at the open space carpark near Block 203 Petir Road, by doing a negligent act not amounting to culpable homicide.
On the morning of the accident, Tan dropped her grandson at a nearby childcare centre at about 8am. She then drove to Bukit Panjang Community Club before driving back home.
At about 10.50am, she reverse-parked her car into an empty lot at the open-space carpark in front of her block.
She then drove the car forward slowly to straighten it out.
As she was doing so, she saw Madam Leong pushing a market trolley full of groceries about 5.6m in front of her car, and walking from the left to the right of the car.
Tan wanted to step on the brake pedal to stop the car and allow Madam Leong to cross safely.
But she mistakenly stepped on the accelerator pedal instead.
The car surged forward and crashed into Madam Leong, who was flung backwards towards the car's rear.
The vehicle mounted the kerb and crashed into a metal guard railing, before going partially down a slope.
Madam Leong was pronounced dead on the spot by a paramedic at about 11am.
A vehicle inspection found no inherent mechanical defects which could have led to the accident.
The maximum punishment for causing death by a negligent act is two years' jail and a fine.
