Singapore proposes law to ban holding mobile devices while d
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Singapore proposes law to ban holding mobile devices while driving
Publication Date : 06-08-2014
Anyone caught using any function of his mobile device and holding it while driving could be found guilty of committing an offence, under proposed changes to improve road safety in Singapore.
This includes not just communicating with someone else via calls or texts, which are offences under existing law, but also surfing the internet, visiting social media platforms and downloading videos.
The new rules would apply not just to phones but also all mobile communication devices, such as iPads, under the broadened Road Traffic Act. The proposed amendments to the Act, tabled in Parliament on Monday, come amid a rise in phone-and-drive offences.
There were 3,572 summonses issued for such offences last year, up 21.6 per cent from 2,938 in 2012, according to Traffic Police figures.
In the first half of this year, 1,761 summonses were issued, compared with 1,700 issued in the same period last year. First-time offenders can be fined up to S$1,000 (US$801) and/or jailed for up to six months. Repeat offenders get up to double the penalty.
The new Bill "will strengthen (the) Traffic Police's enforcement powers, enhance competency of drivers, as well as clarify the expected behaviour of vehicle owners and motorists on responsible road use", the home affairs ministry said. The changes are expected to be debated at the next Parliamentary sitting.
Associate Professor Gopinath Menon, who teaches transportation engineering at Nanyang Technological University, welcomed the proposed changes.
"Some drivers use their tablet devices for checking e-mail because of the bigger screen, and they may even perform multiple tasks with their tablets," he said. "Any type of distraction won't be good for drivers."
Last year, a street poll of 140 motorists by The Sunday Times found that about seven in 10 admitted to using their phones while driving. This is even though most knew it was against the law.
Most respondents said they took calls and read text messages while driving, but there were also those who played games and used social media like Facebook.
While it is an offence when a driver holds a phone and uses it to communicate with someone else, it is not against the law to use the phone if it is mounted on a holder. This will apply to other mobile devices as well, under the new Bill.
Other amendments in the new Bill include a requirement for work pass holders who need to drive as part of their jobs to obtain a local driving licence within six months after their work passes had been issued.
This could affect some industries, such as construction.
BD CraneTech director Jeffrey Lim said more details will be needed as this could affect work pass holders differently, depending on their country of origin.
For example, those from India can convert their international driving licences to local ones. "This should not take too long, and they would still be able to meet the (proposed) requirement within six months," said Lim.
But others from places like Myanmar or Bangladesh cannot do so and have to take theory and practical tests in Singapore, he added.
The home affairs ministry said the amendment is to ensure that "motorists, local and foreign, are familiar with Singapore's traffic rules and conditions, and are sufficiently competent to drive on our roads". It last amended the Road Traffic Act in 2010.
- See more at: http://www.straitstimes.com/news/singapore/transport/story/proposed-amendment-road-traffic-act-makes-using-or-holding-mobile-dev#sthash.QThpzXIS.dpuf -
No more grabbing and easy leow ?
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then using MDT while driving got count or not? lol
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While it is an offence when a driver holds a phone and uses it to communicate with someone else, it is not against the law to use the phone if it is mounted on a holder. This will apply to other mobile devices as well, under the new Bill.
Mounted devices like handphones and tablets exempted . So still don't have to worry if ur handphone is mounted on a holder
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No matter what, phone oon dashboard or on yr pocket or below yr lan jiao, it must be hands free, once you hold a cable or set to talk, you can get caught, cable include your ear phone cable hor. On the other hand, drive taxi, drive lah, talk so much on phone for fark, if really want to talk, stop.. park one side and talk whatever fark you want...be safe to yourself, others and also your family. 10 mouths 10 assholes got so many thing to talk meh??
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Originally posted by bowah:
No matter what, phone oon dashboard or on yr pocket or below yr lan jiao, it must be hands free, once you hold a cable or set to talk, you can get caught, cable include your ear phone cable hor.
On the other hand, drive taxi, drive lah, talk so much on phone for fark, if really want to talk, stop.. park one side and talk whatever fark you want…be safe to yourself, others and also your family.
10 mouths 10 assholes got so many thing to talk meh??
You never listen before what TD talk on phone while driving before meh.....
Horse, char bor, where to jiak kopi, which cb kia offended him.....
The only time TD cut phone quickly is when wife call....
"aiya, pob la, call you back la".....
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Scholar who came up with that rule couldn't figure out its your eyes, not your hands that get distracted.
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If a call come and you need to copy down some notes on a piece of paper. The phone is mounted , you using blue tooth, left hand holding steering, right hand holding pen, scribbing on the dash board. Like dat can or not
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Some uncles like to read newspaper or storey book while driving, can or not
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Feeling hungry, one hand hold steering wheel, one hand hold kopi or banana, can or not
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Phone is mounted, just use pointed device to sms, can or not
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Can, everything also can, can even PCC one hand and drive on one hand...just dun get caught only. The key word here is Holding mobile device! hold Lanjiao is ok, hold pen is ok, but keying anything into a device that is a holding device while moving, when get caught, dun say ah pek here never tell you hor
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Originally posted by Reliefdriver4u:
If a call come and you need to copy down some notes on a piece of paper. The phone is mounted , you using blue tooth, left hand holding steering, right hand holding pen, scribbing on the dash board. Like dat can or not
"siew beh bio"?......
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when you had experience the danger a driver is ocurring when texting or using hp
you will understand the important for this BAN.
but again, their solution are always ......pay more
in which they term it nicely.....heavier penalty
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Aiya, Singapore have lost all its social aspect of human life, especially Singaporeans and all those livng in Singapore had inhabited a serious phobia of no smartphone...can die one. So, you see all pple on the street and public places are all on their smartphone, no buddies also nevermind, got smartphone can liao..and this is out of the social norm. Except maybe south korean, you dun see this kind of behavorial in the west, hk, taiwan, and even japan, or even or neighbouring states