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Ministry steps up measures against illegal modifications
Illegally modified vehicles may be detained for up to three months
04:45 AM Nov 17, 2012
by Sumita Sreedharan
SINGAPORE - Illegally modified vehicles may be detained for up to three months, as part of changes to the Road Traffic Act approved by Parliament yesterday.
The penalty has been described by some drivers as "harsh", according to Member of Parliament Gan Thiam Poh (Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC), even though he felt it will serve as "an effective deterrent".
"I feel that it should be the last resort for such offences. Public education should be our first line of defence," he said. To assist motorists, Mr Gan suggested that the Land Transport Authority (LTA) should license all car workshops and their mechanics to provide only approved modifications and parts for modifications or repairs.
In response, Minister of State for Transport Josephine Teo said the ministry was taking a "calibrated approach".
"It is not the intention to go after motorists for the sake of it, but we do need to send a message that illegal modifications are not acceptable," she said.
Mrs Teo said the aim of the penalty was "not to detain each and every illegally modified vehicle". "The Land Transport Authority intends to apply this penalty in cases of blatant violation or where the offender repeatedly infringes the law," she added.
There were 7,300 illegal modification offences last year, up from about 2,500 in 2009. Offences relating to illegal modification of the exhaust system surged from about 80 cases each month in 2010, to 250 cases each month this year.
"Such illegal modifications to a vehicle's exhaust system not only compromise vehicle safety and therefore the safety of other road users, but also result in excessive noise emissions and public nuisance," said Mrs Teo.
Illegally modified vehicles may be detained for up to three months
04:45 AM Nov 17, 2012
by Sumita Sreedharan
SINGAPORE - Illegally modified vehicles may be detained for up to three months, as part of changes to the Road Traffic Act approved by Parliament yesterday.
The penalty has been described by some drivers as "harsh", according to Member of Parliament Gan Thiam Poh (Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC), even though he felt it will serve as "an effective deterrent".
"I feel that it should be the last resort for such offences. Public education should be our first line of defence," he said. To assist motorists, Mr Gan suggested that the Land Transport Authority (LTA) should license all car workshops and their mechanics to provide only approved modifications and parts for modifications or repairs.
In response, Minister of State for Transport Josephine Teo said the ministry was taking a "calibrated approach".
"It is not the intention to go after motorists for the sake of it, but we do need to send a message that illegal modifications are not acceptable," she said.
Mrs Teo said the aim of the penalty was "not to detain each and every illegally modified vehicle". "The Land Transport Authority intends to apply this penalty in cases of blatant violation or where the offender repeatedly infringes the law," she added.
There were 7,300 illegal modification offences last year, up from about 2,500 in 2009. Offences relating to illegal modification of the exhaust system surged from about 80 cases each month in 2010, to 250 cases each month this year.
"Such illegal modifications to a vehicle's exhaust system not only compromise vehicle safety and therefore the safety of other road users, but also result in excessive noise emissions and public nuisance," said Mrs Teo.
