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SINGAPORE: A taxi driver who accidentally ran over his passenger’s foot and fractured him was fined S $ 4,000 and banned from driving for six months on Tuesday (December 8).
Soh Leong Quee, 63, pleaded guilty to one count of causing serious harm to her 52-year-old passenger by negligent act.
The court heard that Soh transported the victim to a block in Sengkang on the night of July 4, 2018. When the passenger got out of the right rear cabin door on the service road of Block 441A, Fernvale Road, Soh did not made sure the victim had completely got out of the car and started to drive away.
The victim had not moved away from the cab and the right rear wheel of the taxi ran over his left foot as Soh drove away.
The victim felt a sharp pain in his foot and stopped to rest before continuing on his way home. But when his foot started to swell, he called an ambulance.
He was protected for a few days and was diagnosed with multiple fractures to his forefoot and midfoot as a result of the accident. He was operated on for the fractures and received 338 days of hospital discharge.
The prosecution requested the sentence that was imposed, saying there were no aggravating factors in the case.
Soh had pleaded guilty and had a good driving record. Court documents also said visibility was low at the time of the accident as it was dark.
Soh, who was not represented, said that he was the sole breadwinner in the family.
Taxi drivers sometimes feel tired, he said, adding that he did not realize what he was doing and that he was not being hasty.
Soh said he had a relief driver and that if he was prohibited from driving, the taxi would have to be returned to the company and the relief driver would also be affected.
For causing serious harm by negligent act, you could have been imprisoned for up to two years, fined up to S $ 5,000, or both. He could have been banned from driving for life as the crime was related to driving a vehicle.
