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Traffic fines in Singapore are on the rise. Find out the penalties for common driving offences.



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Driving carelessly is no laughing matter. It could cost you anything from a fine to even imprisonment. Unfortunately, lack of consideration for road safety and ignorance of the penalties arising from it may cause motorists not to abide by the rules when driving. Last year, S$42.5 million in traffic fines was collected, a 39 per cent increase compared to the previous financial year.

If you drive, you ought to be aware that the penalties for careless driving have been getting stiffer over the years.

Driving offences are governed by the Road Traffic Act (Chapter 276).

Here are some common traffic violations:

Speeding

While you may find it thrilling to race against the wind, Section 63 of the Road Traffic Act (RTA) does not take your going over the maximum speed assigned to your vehicle lightly. Offenders are liable to be prosecuted in court.

Reckless/Dangerous Driving

According to Section 64, drivers who drive in a manner that endangers the safety or lives of others will be liable for a fine of up to $5,000 or an imprisonment for a term up to 12 months or both. And in the case of a second or subsequent conviction, to a fine not exceeding $10,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or to both.

Examples of dangerous driving are:

*Driving against the flow of traffic

*Weaving in and out of traffic

*Disobeying traffic signals

Driving without Due Care

Section 65 states that whoever drives a vehicle without considering other road users can be fined up to $1,000 or/and imprisoned for a term up to six months. For a second or subsequent conviction, the offender can expect to be fined up to $2,000 and imprisoned for 12 months.

Use of mobile device while driving

Using a mobile communications device while your car is in motion is a no-go. Specifically, you would be considered to be flouting the law if you hold a cellphone (tablets are included) and either call, texting, surf the Internet or use any other function on it. For a first offence, you could be fined up to $1,000 or imprisoned up to six months, or both. 

Drink Driving

If you’ve had one too many, you are better off calling a taxi or getting someone else to drive you home. Persist in driving or attempting to drive while you’re intoxicated and you could face a fine of up to 5,000 and imprisonment up to six months. This is the penalty for first-time offenders caught drink-driving. The prescribed limit is 35 microgrammes (ug) per 100 millilitres (ml) of breath, or 80 milligrammes (mg) of alcohol per 100 millilitres (ml) of blood.

 

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