Ex-taxi driver charged with causing death of NUS undergrad Kathy Ong in Clementi accident

[beyond]

The taxi driver involved in the tragic car accident that took the life of National University of Singapore (NUS) undergraduate Kathy Ong, was charged in court on Friday, Jan. 11, according to Channel NewsAsia (CNA).

Ong, who had imagined her own funeral before her passing, was 19 at the time of the fatal accident. She majored in environmental studies at the university.

Faces max prison sentence of 2 years or fine or both

CNA reported that Yap Kok Hua, 55, was charged with causing Ong’s death by a negligent act not amounting to culpable homicide.

For that, Yap faces a maximum imprisonment of two years or a fine, or both.

The crash took place last year on Apr. 19, when Yap was turning right after another car at the intersection of Clementi Road and Commonwealth Avenue West.

A car driving straight then rammed into the taxi’s left side at high speed.

Ong was in the taxi’s left rear seat at the time.

Three of her schoolmates were also in the same taxi.

They were all taken to the National University Hospital (NUH) after the accident, including Yap.

Ong succumbed to her injuries and passed away at NUH later on.

According to The Straits Times (ST), Yap is no longer working as a taxi driver.

Ong’s parents react

Ong’s father, Keith Ong, expressed his unhappiness at the news of the charge in a Facebook post.

Ong’s mother, Edith Ng, also took to Facebook to express her anger at Yap.

LTA to phase out “discretionary” right turns

Three days after the accident, another fatal collision that happened in the same fashion took place in Bukit Timah that resulted in the death of a 23-year-old woman.

It involved a right turn at the junction of Jalan Anak Bukit and Jalan Jurong Kechil.

Like Ong, the woman who died was seated in the left rear seat.

The two accidents had led to a petition that called for “traffic light rules” in Singapore to be changed to “prevent further casualties”.

More than 16,000 signatures were gathered.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) then announced on Apr. 26 last year that they will be installing red-amber-green (RAG) arrows in the “vast majority of traffic junctions” over the next five years, according to a report by Today.

Motorists can then turn right only when the green arrow lights up.

In cases where the RAG arrows are “not feasible”, LTA will look into “other features”.

[Palladium92]

F

[XianGe]

So the cabby who the nus ger was in Kenna? Tot it was the car who go straight ram into the cab?

[Cynical Ape]

Can tell that her parents are still grieving... haiz, such is life! 

Edited January 13, 2019 by Cynical Ape

[ODACHEK]

Scolding on FB will not bring back the daughter's life. SG is an under pressure, stressful, fast paced country, thus it can happen to any family, anytime. So who's fault?

[GoldMoon]

21 hours ago, XianGe said:

So the cabby who the nus ger was in Kenna? Tot it was the car who go straight ram into the cab?

Believe drivers also need to exercise caution even in turning situation la. See the traction and speed of other driver before it crash i think 

[Coffee_O]

silver cab right? anyway most transcab and premier cab drivers the way they drive like all rushing to hell so i'm not surprised that they are involved in accidents

[Guan084]

2 hours ago, Coffee_O said:

silver cab right? anyway most transcab and premier cab drivers the way they drive like all rushing to hell so i'm not surprised that they are involved in accidents

I heard most of them are rejects from comfort. Not sure how true though. 

[Coffee_O]

1 hour ago, Guan084 said:

I heard most of them are rejects from comfort. Not sure how true though. 

yup thats what people said. not sure true or not. anyway LTA should impose revoking their vocational licence when kena sack by a cab company instead of letting them get employed by another company.