An offence not to swop info after an accident

[User12343]

ST forum 25/4

 

POLICE would like to inform Mr Goh Choon Poh ('Make it a must for drivers in accidents to exchange info'; ST, April 17) that under Sections 84(1) and 84(2) of the Road Traffic Act, Chapter 276, any driver involved in an accident is required to stop and provide his particulars to the other party.

 

If he does not do so, he is required to report the accident at a police station or to a police officer within 24 hours of the accident.

 

A first-time offender, on conviction, may be fined up to $1,000 or jailed up to three months. On a second or subsequent offence, the offender may be fined up to $2,000 or jailed up to six months.

 

Under the Non-injury Accident Reporting Scheme introduced in 1999, there is no need to lodge a police report unless the accident involves a police or foreign vehicle, a pedestrian or cyclist, or is a hit-and-run.

 

Instead, the accident parties should exchange particulars and lodge a Singapore Accident Statement with their respective insurance company.

 

However, should the other party refuse to cooperate, police would advise the motoring public to avoid confronting the other party, and instead furnish the other party's vehicle number to their insurance company.

 

If a traffic violation is suspected, including failing to provide particulars and/or to report the accident, the insurance company would refer the matter to Traffic Police for investigation.

 

Audrey Ang (Ms)

Assistant Director

(Media Relations)

Singapore Police Force

[Dumb]

Can start by telling all L drivers. Those who already passed, give them info with the road tax reminder.

[Southpark2000]

Shld oso make it a point that act of running away without exchanging info will weigh heavily against you - in fact totally against you.

[Gary84]

noted...! thx for sharing...~

[Liping24]

Interestingly...an accident between two vehicle is a private matters. I don't think an accident can be defined as traffic violation, unless the parties have damage some private/traffic facilities or break any traffic rules/law in the process.

[BoneStock]

If only i see this earlier. I was involved in a hit and run 2 months ago, a van sped off after hitting my ride...went to the police but they refused to record my statement.

[User12343]

best is to print this out and put in the car in case kena this kinda ting ....

[Liping24]

Yes..best to print out the letter and show it to the police who refuse to take your statement!

[Crasher]

I used to think so too. However, more than 10 years ago, I had a motorbike accident whereby I had jammed brake behind another vehicle, causing my front wheel to lock and my motorbike flipped into the air and landed a few metres ahead, hitting nothing else but concrete. The police and ambulance came, and later the police decided to charge me with dangerous riding (I was only traveling at 50km/h). Luckily I pleaded and they let me off with a warning since it was my 1st time.

 

The way they see it, any accident that happens on a road can be a violation of a traffic rule. Even if you think it's private, the other driver may not think so. Long ago, it used to be that you have to report every single accident to the police for them to decide which driver violated the rules.

[BoneStock]

yes, i saved this in my computer already. will forward to my friends.

[Mzrmazda3]

Most likely must be due to the recent accident between the Mazda 3 driver & that Taxi driver which prompts Mr.Goh to write in

[Liping24]

Ok...to project it further...can the police Legally charge you for dangerous walking if you fell and hurt yourself while crossing at a zebra crossings?

[Seaweed]

what does it mean "furnish the other party's vehicle number to their insurance company"...does it mean we got to take vehicle number go lta..pay some money...check the insurance company..then ask the insurance company how ?? if it is still the same as last time..can we claim this money and effort spend doing all the running ???

[Apollo]

talking abt this.. yesterday i saw one elderly woman fell along the pavement when she try walking to the bus stop. there was a chap walking in opposite direction towards here. feller just smirk looking at her as i drive pass.

[Crasher]

 

I guess they will come up with something really funny to charge you with it they really want to...

 

"Miss, you fall down on the road, bleeding, cannot move, blocking all the traffic at this zebra crossing. I have to charge you with obstruction..."

 

but... I'm not the police... however, I do think that the government sectors do things abit

[Astroman]

Interestingly...an accident between two vehicle is a private matters. I don't think an accident can be defined as traffic violation, unless the parties have damage some private/traffic facilities or break any traffic rules/law in the process.

i kinda of agree.... most of the time,the police at the station would not want to be bothered with accident where no one is injured.... while the law may state this, whether it was imposed is another question.... i also heard another story where someone after running in to the rear of another vechicle run away end up the two insurance company negotiate and the settlement was split the cost 50-50...

[Guyver]

Fantastic ....

[Guyver]

Let's all remember this part ....

 

"Sections 84(1) and 84(2) of the Road Traffic Act, Chapter 276" ....

 

If anybody don't wanna give details ... call police and quote the above ... and ask them to come down ....