Driver, passenger each get jail after lying about who was at the wheel in traffic accident

CNA

16-05-2025

SINGAPORE: A male driver whose car collided into a traffic light pole, and his female passenger, who offered to take the rap for the accident, were each handed jail terms on Friday (May 16).
Yuen Zheng Wen, 36, and the passenger, Chin Wei Yeeng, 31, were each given three weeks' jail. Yuen was also given a two-year driving ban.
Yuen pleaded guilty to one count each of obstructing justice and careless driving, and Chin to one count of obstructing justice, with a charge of providing false information taken into consideration for her sentencing.
Yuen, a Singaporean, and Chin, a Malaysian and Singapore Permanent Resident, were friends and colleagues.
In earlier proceedings, the court heard that both were having dinner with other colleagues on Feb 16, 2024 before the incident.
Yuen had three to four glasses of red wine while at the restaurant, located at 190 Keng Lee Road.
After dinner, Yuen offered to drive Chin home. At about 10.35pm, as Yuen turned from Moulmein Road onto the Central Expressway, he lost control of his car, which accidentally mounted the kerb on its left. The car struck and damaged a traffic light pole.
The cost of repairs for the traffic light pole amounted to S$991.57 (US$760).
The car also sustained damage to its windscreen, front bumper, left tyre and front headlight.
After the accident, Chin suggested to Yuen that she take the blame on his behalf and offered to swap seats with him. Yuen accepted the offer.
Chin later claimed to traffic police officers who arrived at the scene that she was the driver of the vehicle and that she had consumed one glass of wine before driving. Yuen substantiated her account.
Yuen was afraid of coming clean as he feared losing his licence.
The traffic police officers administered a Breathalyzer test to Chin, who failed it. Chin was placed under arrest and escorted to the traffic police headquarters for further tests.
Yuen was allowed to leave with no breath analysis test.
At the traffic police headquarters, a test revealed that the proportion of alcohol in Chin's breath was 49 micrograms of alcohol in every 100ml of
breath, above the prescribed limit of 35 micrograms.
A statement was recorded from Chin at about 2.12am on Feb 17, 2024. In this statement, Chin maintained the same story - that she had been the driver.
However, Yuen felt remorseful over the lie and confessed to his offences on the same day.
The prosecution sought five to eight weeks' jail for Yuen and four to eight weeks' jail for Chin.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Ryan Lim cited Yuen's "conscious decision" to drive after drinking as an aggravating factor. The prosecution also sought a 24-month driving disqualification for Yuen.
In respect of both, Mr Lim said that their lie had caused the police to neglect conducting a breath analysis test on Yuen.
"This rendered it impossible to prove in a court of law that he was driving while above the legal limit. Given that (Yuen) had downed three or four glasses of wine prior to driving, this was a real possibility," Mr Lim said.
Pointing to Chin's charge of false information, which was taken into consideration, Mr Lim said that Chin had maintained her lie even after being hauled in for questioning, showing a degree of persistence.
"There is a strong public interest element in deterring such 'scapegoat' offences ... a 'strong message' must be conveyed to individuals who shield traffic offenders," the prosecution added.