Singapore introduces bill to punish drivers holding phones and lower drink-driving alcohol limits.
SINGAPORE: Singapore has introduced a bill to amend the Road Traffic Act 1961 (RTA) to include punishment for drivers holding mobile phones while driving and stricter alcohol limits for drink-driving.
The Road Traffic (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill was tabled in parliament on Tuesday by Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs Sim Ann.
According to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the bill will punish drivers holding mobile communication devices in their hands while driving, removing the need to prove that the driver was operating the device.
It said the current law on the offence can only be enforced manually, as traffic police must verify that the driver was operating the device.
“Instead, it will be an offence as long as a driver holds a mobile communication device in his hand while the vehicle is moving, since this is dangerous and makes it less likely that the driver will be focused on the road.
“This amendment will also allow traffic police to enforce the offence using cameras or based on photographic or videographic evidence submitted by members of the public, and increase the detection of such offences,” the MHA said in a statement on Tuesday.
The MHA said the bill will also tighten the prescribed alcohol limits for drink-driving.
Under the proposed changes, the legal alcohol limit for breath tests will be lowered from 35 micrograms to 15 micrograms per 100 millilitres of breath, while the blood alcohol limit will be reduced from 80 milligrams to 30 milligrams per 100 millilitres of blood.
The bill also seeks to increase penalties for careless and dangerous driving causing grievous hurt, aligning them more closely with those for offences resulting in death.
If passed, repeat offenders convicted of dangerous driving could face up to 13 years in jail, while those found guilty of careless driving causing grievous hurt could be sentenced to a prison sentence of up to four years.
