A 20-year-old e-scooter driver was charged with causing the death of an elderly female cyclist after a collision in Bedok North in September. The convict, Hung Kee Boon, was presented in court on Monday morning and faced two charges under the Active Mobility Act.
The deceased woman, Ong Bee Eng is believed to be the first fatality from a collision with a personal mobility device (PMD) on a public path in Singapore. The 65-year-old victim was used be a logistics assistant packer who was cycling to her home in Chai Chee Street at around 10 pm on September 21 when the accident happened.
When paramedics reached the accident location they found Ong in an unconscious state and soon she was taken to the Changi General Hospital (CGH) along with the e-scooter rider, who was also injured. Police said that they arrested the 20-year-old man for causing grievous hurt by a rash act.
Chinese-language newspaper Shin Min Daily News shared the pictures of the accident scene that showed bloodstains on the pavement next to the cycle path. Police officers were also seen carrying the e-scooter which is suspected to have been heavily modified and exceeded the weight limit.
This accident raised concern over the use of PMDs and e-bikes on Singapore road. It also triggered the idea of putting a ban on PMDs on footpaths as there was 228 accident case reported in 2017 involving PMDs.
To ensure the safety of the pedestrians Senior Minister of State for Transport Lam Pin Min said that in the past two years the government put in great efforts to promote the safe use of motorised personal mobility devices but "Despite significant efforts, we continue to encounter errant riders who use non-compliant devices and ride dangerously." So the government has decided to ban the e-scooters from the footpath.
