Singapore

Tampines crash survivor seeks psychiatric treatment


SINGAPORE – The sole survivor of the Tampines crash that killed a motorcyclist and his pregnant wife on Oct 29 did not suffer any serious physical injuries but is seeking psychiatric treatment, said Tampines GRC MP Baey Yam Keng.

In a Facebook post on Nov 3, Baey said he and grassroots leaders had visited the accident victim, who he identified as Mira.

He said the car she had been driving, which was her father’s and was badly damaged in the accident, had to be scrapped. This has affected Mira’s father’s livelihood as he needs the vehicle to commute to Jurong Island for work.

“We discussed the help they needed, including legal advice and insurance claims. Hopefully our referrals would accord them the necessary assistance soon,” added Baey, who is also Mayor of North East District.

Besides wishing Mira a “smooth and speedy recovery”, Baey also said his thoughts were with the couple who were killed in the accident.

The Minister of State for Transport added: “I have asked to meet up with the relevant agencies to discuss whether any measures could be implemented along Tampines Avenue 12 to prevent such accidents from happening.”

The accident at around 10.35pm on Oct 29 involved a blue Audi that ploughed through the road divider and slammed into a motorcycle and Mira’s car on Tampines Avenue 12.

The driver – Muhammad Zulfiqar Abdul Aziz, 30 – and his passenger fled the scene.

The motorcyclist and his wife, who was riding pillion, both 24, died after being taken to hospital. They were buried next to each other at Choa Chu Kang Muslim Cemetery on Oct 30.

Family members had told The Straits Times at their burial that the couple were expecting a second child. They leave a six-year-old son. A gag order was issued on the identities of the victims because of their son.

Police arrested Zulfiqar, and the 29-year-old woman he was with at the time of the accident, on Oct 30 around West Coast Road. She has not been charged.

Zulfiqar was on Oct 31 handed nine charges: dangerous driving causing death, dangerous driving causing hurt, driving under disqualification, failing to stop after an accident, failing to render assistance after an accident, using a motor vehicle without insurance coverage, using a deregistered vehicle, using a vehicle without a licence, and exhibiting a false licence plate.

He was not offered bail after the judge found he posed a flight risk. His case will be heard again on Nov 27.

According to charge sheets seen by ST on Nov 3, Zulfiqar drove the car despite being under a six-year driving disqualification from March 2026 to March 2032.

Court papers also showed that he had been convicted on two separate occasions of driving while under disqualification – in November 2021 and July 2025.

Those convicted of dangerous driving causing death can be jailed for up to eight years, and those convicted of using a deregistered vehicle can be jailed for up to two years and fined $20,000.

There were 40 cases involving deregistered vehicles in 2022, and 39 in 2023. This jumped to 75 in 2024 and 245 in 2025. In the first five months of 2026, the Land Transport Authority investigated 122 cases.

The police said using deregistered vehicles and driving while disqualified is reckless and irresponsible, and they will not hesitate to take firm action against those who endanger other road users.

Singapore’s roads are now at their most dangerous in years, with traffic deaths hitting a 10-year high of 149 in 2025, compared with 141 in 2016.

The number of people injured also rose from 9,342 in 2024 to 9,955 in 2025.



Source link

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *