Jail, driving ban for lorry driver who killed elderly cyclist

The green man signal was on when he crossed the road on Feb 14 last year.

Even though cyclist Mohd Amin Abdullah, 88, had the right of way, a lorry hit and killed him while he was crossing at Lorong 6 Toa Payoh.

The lorry driver, Tan Kian Huat, 69, was yesterday jailed for four weeks and banned from driving for five years after pleading guilty to one count of performing a negligent act.

He was on his way to work in Woodlands when the accident occurred at around 7.45am.

Tan was making a right turn into Lorong 6 Toa Payoh towards Braddell Road when he hit Mr Mohd Amin, who was cycling from Tan's left to right on the pedestrian crossing.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Sarah Siaw said Tan collided into the cyclist because he had failed to keep a proper lookout while making the turn.

'RIGHT OF WAY'

She added: "It is not clear whether the green man was blinking or not... Nevertheless, the victim had the right of way."

Mr Mohd Amin was unconscious when an ambulance took him to Tan Tock Seng Hospital.

He suffered head and chest injuries and was pronounced dead about four hours later.

Tan's lawyer, Ms Alice Tan, said in mitigation that her client had checked his mirrors and blind spots for vehicles and pedestrians.

She added: "Unfortunately, this has proved insufficient and in a momentary lapse of concentration arising from human frailty, a life was lost."

Tan could have been jailed up to two years and fined.

ashaffiq@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on March 31, 2016.
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