
Tanjong Katong sinkhole: What to do if your vehicle falls into one, Singapore News
In videos of the incident, this woman had been driving along the junction of Tanjong Katong Road and Mountbatten Road when the tarmac under her vehicle gave way.
Her vehicle slid into the sinkhole, flipping as it landed in upside-down in the water below.
Thankfully, this driver managed to escape the sinkhole that opened up in Tanjong Katong that evening, partly with the aid of brave construction workers in the vicinity.
She reportedly exited the vehicle on her own.
A section of Tanjong Katong Road South has since been closed until further notice amid urgent repair works, the Land Transport Authority announced on Sunday.
While sinkholes are far from a common occurrence in Singapore, the question remains: what should you do if you find yourself at the bottom of one? Steps to escape a sinkhole
Responding to queries from AsiaOne, the Automobile Association of Singapore (AAS) shared some essential steps to keeping safe when one's vehicle falls into a sinkhole, also advising drivers to keep a glass-breaking tool in the glove compartment as a precaution.
For starters, undo your seatbelt first before undoing the passengers' seatbelts if they require assistance, they said.
If one is unable to open the doors to escape, open the windows instead — if they cannot be wound down, use force by removing the front seat of your headrest and using the metal prongs to break the window.
Alternatively, brute force with kicks or elbows to the centre of the window may be needed, AAS said.
"If there are children in the car, push them out before exiting the vehicle yourself," AAS also stated. "Do not bring any belongings with you."
Once out, if you are injured and unable to move safely, call 995 for the Singapore Civil Defence Force, AAS advised. Brake gradually if sinkhole appears
The association also shared that drivers should brake gradually if they see a sinkhole appear near them.
"Do not slam on the brakes as it may cause skidding, making it more dangerous on unstable roads.
"Do not attempt to drive around it as the size of sinkholes may be larger than perceived. A small opening might have a massive gap underneath," they said, advising drivers to stop at least 20 to 30 metres away.
Once the vehicle comes to a stop, switch on hazard lights to alert other drivers of the danger, and leave the vehicle to get to safety if one is unable to drive away.
On car insurance, the AAS commented: "Vehicles will only be covered under their insurance plan, comprehensive tier. Drivers are advised to check with their insurers on this." Doors may be difficult to open
According to American broadcast organisation National Public Radio (NPR), the first thing that one should do is try to leave the vehicle right away, when the water level is still below the windows.
"The vehicle's only going to float on the surface of the water for seconds to several minutes," said Gerald Dworkin, a technical consultant for the US-based safety training company Lifesaving Resources.
Once a vehicle is more fully submerged, pressure from the water can make doors and windows difficult to open, Dworkin told NPR in March last year.
Calling for assistance on their phone or waiting for the car to fill up with water — to equalise pressure inside and outside the vehicle — are not ideal options as they would delay escape, NPR reported.
"There are no good scenarios where waiting increases your chance of survival," Gordon Giesbrecht also told NPR. "It only decreases it to virtually zero."
Giesbrecht is a retired professor who studied vehicle submersion at the University of Manitoba, according to the US publication.
Giesbrecht also suggested that those who find themselves and their vehicle submerged in water follow a few steps.
First, they should unbuckle their seatbelts before opening their windows. Next, they should try to exit the vehicle immediately — the oldest child should go first with the aid of adults, he stated.
He also cautioned that spring-loaded tools to break windows in emergencies may not be effective as new vehicles may use stronger glass. Escaping your vehicle
The Automobile Association (AA) in the United Kingdom also highlighted similar steps to get to safety should one's vehicle be submerged in water.
They also pointed out on their website that vehicles will always sink heavy end first, where the engine is located.
When the vehicle sinks, a pocket of air will be created, and although you may want to move towards it, that's the "wrong move", the AA stated.
"Always stay in front of the car," they wrote.
When attempting to escape through the windows, the AA also considered the possibility of electric windows malfunctioning in the water.
Should that occur, it is possible to break the windows with your seat's headrest — there are two metal prongs at the base of the headrest that can be used to break the window.
Alternatively, using your seatbelt buckle is also possible, but that may take some time, the AA shared.
"If there aren't any heavy objects around you that can be used to break the window, use your arms or legs. This is a last resort option because you can cause bodily harm." About a minute to escape
Following the collapse of a bridge in Baltimore in March last year, CNA also shared tips on how to escape from a sinking car.
"Do not open the doors because water will rush in," the broadcaster warned, adding that children should go first because it would be easier to push rather than pull them out of the vehicle.
Once out, you should focus on staying afloat, whether using buoyant debris to stay above water or pulling yourself up with a larger object.
"Experts estimate passengers have about one minute to escape if they find themselves in a sinking car," CNA also said.
[[nid:720652]]
khooyihang@asiaone.com

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

Straits Times
17 hours ago
- Straits Times
First public battery charge and swop station for electric heavy commercial vehicles opens at Tuas
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox A prime mover being outfitted with a full battery pack at the launch of the first battery charge and swop station for heavy vehicles on Aug 1. SINGAPORE - Instead of spending hours plugged to a charger to fill up its batteries, an electric prime mover truck will need only five minutes to hit the road again after swopping out its depleted battery for a fully charged one at a station in Tuas. Located at 5 Tuas Avenue 5, the battery charge and swop station is the first of its kind that is open to the public for electric heavy commercial vehicles. It was launched on Aug 1 by EcoSwift, an electric commercial vehicle distributor, under a four-year permit given by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) to test the technology. The process of exchanging the battery is entirely automated. When the vehicle is stopped in the correct position, a mechanical arm removes the battery, which is mounted vertically behind the truck's cabin. After placing the depleted battery into the charging slot in the station, the arm will insert a fully charged one into the truck. A fully charged battery, which will enable the electric prime mover to travel up to 240km, costs $168 in electricity. The cost of battery swopping is based on the amount of electricity that the vehicle takes from the station. If the prime mover pulls up at the station with a 20 per cent charge remaining to exchange for a fully charged battery, the client will be billed for the 80 per cent worth of electricity, or $134.40. Conventional engine-powered prime movers can travel up to 500km on a full tank of diesel, which can cost between $300 and $500 to fill. The EcoSwift station is one of two battery charge and swop trials for electric heavy vehicles in Singapore. The other trial is by PSA Corporation, which has a station within the Pasir Panjang port terminal. LTA issued the permit for both trials in mid-2024 to understand the technical and operational requirement for the technology and to consider incorporating it into upcoming reviews of the national charging standards. The battery charge and swop station is jointly developed by EcoSwift and Chinese vehicle manufacturer, Sany. For now, only the Sany EV490 prime mover can use the swopping station, although EcoSwift is working to adapt the technology for electric vehicles from other brands as well. The battery charge and swop station at Tuas has a footprint of 1,500 sq ft, which is roughly the size of two three-room Housing Board flats. It is able to do one battery swop at a time. Half of the space is used to store and charge up to three EV batteries, while the other half is a sheltered bay for battery swopping. A fully charged battery, which will enable the electric prime mover to travel up to 240km, costs $168 in electricity. ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN It takes up to 1½ hours for the station to charge up a battery. The station can store up to three batteries, so it can perform up to 60 battery swops in 24 hours. Using conventional high speed chargers to serve the same number of electric trucks in the same amount of time will require more land than the EcoSwift station. Mr Ryan Woon, EcoSwift's founder and chief executive, said that the roll-out of the battery charge and swop station will enable logistics operators in Singapore to make the switch to EVs without sacrificing time, efficiency or space. Among the companies to sign up with EcoSwift are logistics company YCH Group and retailer Fairprice Group. As part of the battery charge and swop trial, these companies lease electric prime movers from EcoSwift for a year before buying over the vehicle. The companies have collected the electric prime movers earlier in 2025, relying on conventional charging that takes up to four hours each time. They can now use the battery charge and swop service. Mr Hayden Lin, head of group procurement at YCH Group, said that the company has been using the charger at its office at Bulim Avenue in the Jurong area. He said: 'Being able to swop out a battery in five minutes will definitely enhance our operational efficiency.'

Straits Times
a day ago
- Straits Times
Fast Lane: World's first Corvette showroom in Singapore, facelifted Toyota Corolla Cross arrives
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox His Royal Highness Jefri Ibrahim (left) and His Royal Highness Abu Bakar, who are Johor princes, at the standalone Corvette showroom in Commonwealth Lane. World's first Corvette showroom opens in Singapore Singapore now has the world's first dedicated Corvette showroom. In other countries, the supercar is presented as part of the Chevrolet brand. Both Chevrolet and Corvette are owned by American car manufacturer General Motors (GM). Speaking to The Straits Times on July 29 at the showroom at 1 Commonwealth Lane, Mr Hector Villarreal, president and managing director of GM's Asia-Pacific office, said the company is looking to build on the heritage and positioning of Corvette as a high-end sports car. He declined to confirm if other GM brands or products will be heading to Singapore's shores. When asked about the company's electrification plans, Mr Villarreal echoed the message that GM's chief executive Mary Barra gave to shareholders in July. She had said that the company will adjust its pace of the transition to suit customers' preference. On the same day, His Royal Highness Jefri Ibrahim and His Royal Highness Abu Bakar from the Johor royal family visited the showroom. They are part of the Johor Motorsports Racing (JMR), which has been competing in the Corvette Z06 GT3.R since April. JMR is the only South-east Asian team to use the Corvette, and the team is eyeing participation in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in the future. Prince Jefri said: 'Corvette is a multiple Le Mans winner. It is a no-brainer to be with them.' Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Tech Reporting advanced suspected cyber attacks will provide a defence framework: Shanmugam World Trump modifies reciprocal tariffs ahead of deadline; rate on Singapore likely to remain at 10% Business Singapore's US tariff rate stays at 10%, but the Republic is not out of the woods yet Singapore NUS launches S'pore's first nursing practice doctorate to meet evolving healthcare needs Singapore Data breach involving 147,000 Cycle & Carriage Singapore customer records under probe Business CAD probing Tokenize Xchange operator; firm's director charged with fraudulent trading Singapore PM Wong to deliver National Day message on Aug 8 Singapore Man charged over kicking woman's face in Teck Whye Lane flat, leading to her death At launch, the road-going 6.2-litre V8 powered two-seater is priced at $628,000 without certificate of entitlement (COE). Updated Toyota Corolla Cross arrives The updated Toyota Corolla Cross has a revised front bumper design. PHOTO: BORNEO MOTORS SINGAPORE The facelifted Toyota Corolla Cross has arrived in Singapore. Tweaks to the exterior are limited to the revised front bumper design that does without the distinctive border around the grille and the detailing of the headlight clusters. Changes to the interior are similarly mild, with a redesigned centre console being the most obvious update. Mechanically, the crossover continues to be powered by a 195hp, 2-litre petrol-hybrid engine which is paired to a continuously variable transmission to drive the front wheels. The Corolla Cross is priced at $225,888 with COE. Geely's electric cars ace crash test The Zeekr 7X scored well in the Euro NCAP test. PHOTO: EURO NCAP Independent vehicle assessment programme Euro NCAP published the test results of eight cars in July, with three models from Geely-owned brands receiving the maximum five-star rating. These are the Zeekr 7X, Polestar 4 and Lynk & Co 02. The Zeekr 7X is slightly larger than the Tesla Model Y and will likely be launched in Singapore soon. The Polestar 4 has been sold here since late 2024, but there are no signs of the Lynk & Co brand being introduced here. The strong showing from Chinese automotive group Geely is a far cry from the days when Chinese cars were panned for poor safety performance. Most notably, the 2005 JMC Landwind, one of the first Chinese cars to be exported to Europe, is remembered for having one of the worst results in Euro NCAP's history. While the Zeekr 7X has yet to be approved for sale here, it is on display at the brand's roadshow at VivoCity Central Court until Aug 3. One more EV brand in town The Jmev Elight is an electric five-seater saloon that has a range of up to 600km on a single charge, if used exclusively in the city. PHOTO: JMEV The Elight is a four-door, five-seater electric saloon from Jmev, a Chinese brand new to Singapore. Launched at Jmev's showroom at 237 Telok Kurau Road on July 29 , the Elight is slightly longer than the Honda Civic. Its 108kW motor qualifies the electric vehicle for a Category A COE. The 63kWh battery gives it a range of up to 460km, or 600km under urban traffic conditions, according to Jmev. Comfort features include a panoramic moon roof and electric six-way adjustment for both front seats, wireless charging and leather upholstery. The car costs $216,888 with COE before applicable discounts, which bring the price down to $156,888 with COE. Home-grown electric motorcycles rev up The Zion Mobility Z-One will be on sale in Singapore by the end of 2025. PHOTO: HONG SEH GROUP Zion Mobility, a Singapore-founded company, will start offering its electric motorcycles here by the end of 2025. Sold through Hong Seh Group, the brand has two models, Z-One and Z-Max. Both use a two-battery set-up, which gives a maximum range of 140km. Hong Seh expects the majority of the electric motorcycles in 2026 to be sold to private individuals and 40 per cent of sales attributed to dealers and fleet users. Zion Mobility is its first foray into electric motorcycles, although it had briefly represented MV Agusta, an Italian high-performance motorcycle brand. More recently, H ong Seh moved to dealing in electric commercial vehicles. The Scorpio Lambda Scorpii, which is developed in Singapore, has received approval for sale in the European Union. PHOTO: SCORPIO ELECTRIC Scorpio Electric, another Singapore-based company, announced on July 30 that its Lambda Scorpii, an electric scooter that has an operating range of 96km from a 5kWh battery pack, has been approved for sale in the European Union. In 2024, Scorpio announced it had appointed distributors in Japan, the Philippines, Portugal and Spain. The company did not confirm if the motorcycle will be offered in Singapore. Founded in 2017, Scorpio Electric is part of EuroSports Global, known for distributing luxury car brands such as Lamborghini in Singapore and Indonesia.


AsiaOne
3 days ago
- AsiaOne
A slice of America: Corvette makes its long-awaited debut in Singapore, Lifestyle News
The iconic American sports car, Corvette, has made its official debut in Singapore, following a glitzy launch event held at Ion Orchard on July 28. More famously known as the Chevrolet Corvette, the event also marked the introduction of Corvette as a standalone brand in its own right. The brand will be represented by Alpine Motors, which was previously the distributor of Opel cars in Singapore, and it marks the first time that the Corvette is available for sale here through official channels in right-hand-drive form. The latest iteration of one of America's most famous sports cars is dubbed the Corvette Stingray, and it features an aggressive-looking design that is said to be inspired by fighter jets and Formula 1 cars. The eighth-generation model also features a mid-engine layout for the first time, a departure from the front-engine design of its predecessors. The engine itself is a 6.2-litre naturally-aspirated V8 that produces 495hp and 630Nm of torque, allowing it to go from 0 to 100km/h in a blistering 2.9 seconds, and reach a top speed of 312km/h. The Corvettes that are being sold in Singapore will also come with what the company calls the Z51 Performance Package, which includes track-tuned suspension, adaptive dampers, performance exhausts, larger brakes, a limited-slip differential, and high performance tyres. Alpine Motors will be showcasing the car at Ion Orchard until August 3, but it has also opened a new showroom for the brand at 1 Commonwealth Lane. Pricing starts from $648,000 without COE, which puts it roughly in the same price bracket as the Porsche 911, but Alpine says that it will only import a limited number of Corvette Stingrays for Singapore. [[nid:714668]] No part of this article can be reproduced without permission from AsiaOne.