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SINGAPORE - The driver of a blue Honda caught on camera for refusing to give way to a private ambulance has been penalised by the Traffic Police.
Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean said in a written reply to Arthur Fong, MP for West Coast GRC, that the driver has fined $160 dollars, and incurred four demerit points to his driving record.
The driver of the Honda was captured on video refusing to give way to an ambulance, despite the ambulance's blaring siren and flashing red lights.
The video was taken on Mar 14, and uploaded to YouTube a day later. It then went viral on the Internet.
In the video, a blue Honda car is seen staying on the right lane in front of an ambulance. Even as the two vehicles drove down the Pan-Island Expressway (PIE), the blue Honda stayed in front of the ambulance and did not give way.
Later, the ambulance driver slowly filtered left and edged out to the neighbouring lane. The ambulance driver then wound down the window and started gesturing towards the driver. He then drove off rapidly after that.
A Stomp contributor said what the driver did was illegal, according to the Public Order Act.
The contributor wrote:
"Under the Public Order Act, Chapter 257A, Part II: Public assemblies and processions. #18 Obstruction to free passage of any ambulance states that the person shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $10,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or to both."