Never compromise safety on the road to save some time.
I was once driving my friend back home and I realized I missed a turn. Now, if I missed the next turn, it would take me at least 15 minutes to get back to that point, so even though I was in a turning lane, I decided to go straight, hoping other cars would read my intention.
But I ended up crashing into a car and had to pay $600 as a result. I left that encounter thinking, I’d much rather be late than to take someone’s life.
Unfortunately, that’s what happened to one driver who caused the death of a motorcyclist due to his reckless driving.
Driver Who Didn’t Check Blindspot & Killed Motorcyclist At CCK Jailed 6 Months, Banned From Driving For 8 Years
When Johnny Teo Tien Huat was driving along Old Choa Chu Kang Road on the evening of 24 Oct, 2018, he decided to cut across three lanes to make a right turn, assuming it was safe.
However, the 52-year-old failed to check his blind spot and didn’t notice that his car had cut into the lane of motorcyclist Kanaprathab Jagadesan.
Sadly, Jagadesan’s motorcycle crashed into Teo’s car and the 33-year-old died.
Dashboard camera footage
At Teo’s trial, a video taken from the dashboard camera of his car was played, showing the moments leading up to the accident.
According to TODAYonline, Teo was travelling towards Lim Chu Kang along Old Choa Chu Kang Road at around 9pm, and had stopped his car on the extreme left of the three-lane road just before Track 14.
It was not stated why he had stopped there.
Teo then made an almost perpendicular turn across three lanes into Track 14 and Jagadesan slammed into the right side of Teo’s car and flew over his bonnet.
Both vehicles suffered extensive damage. According to court documents, no mechanical defects were detected in either vehicle.
No pulse
Jagadesan sustained multiple abrasions to his legs and injuries to his chest. Paramedics found him semi-prone, with his helmet intact.
He had no pulse and was not breathing, so cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) had to be administered.
The 33-year-old was rushed to the hospital where he was intubated and given four doses of adrenalin throughout the CPR.
However, at around 9.55pm that night, a decision was made to stop due to “prolonged downtime and medical futility”.
“Very remorseful”
Teo’s defence lawyer said that her client was “very remorseful” over the accident. “He hasn’t been able to eat or sleep since the accident”, she said.
Teo pleaded guilty to the rash act and was sentenced by a district court to six months jail. He will also be banned from driving for 8 years from the date of his release.
Teo’s prosecutor had asked for a harsher sentence, saying the accident could have been avoided.
“If the accused had taken proper care to check for oncoming traffic, it wouldn’t have happened,” the prosecutor said.
After District Judge Ong Luan Tze sentenced Teo to jail, she turned to the accused and said, “I hope the conclusion of this case will give you some closure.”
For causing death through a rash act, Teo could have been jailed up to five years, fined, or both.
Remember guys, never compromise safety on the road to save some time.
If you’re late for work or even an important test, failure or even getting fired would be nothing compared to taking someone’s life. Be patient and always be attentive on the road.
