Question:
Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs regarding the accident at Tuas Checkpoint on 24 March 2023 where an auxiliary policeman was hit by a car and sustained a severe head injury (a) whether ICA will review its operations as well as the design of the approaches to the checkpoint to see whether the risks of a similar accident can be avoided or minimised in the interest of the safety of work personnel and members of the public; and (b) what are the lessons learned.
Answer:
Mr K Shanmugam, Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for Law:
1. The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) takes the safety of travellers and of our officers, including Auxiliary Police Officers (APOs) working alongside us, very seriously. At the approaches to the land checkpoints, we have installed preventive road safety measures such as road humps to deter speeding. There are signages to remind motorists of the speed limit and to maintain lane discipline. Officers who are performing traffic control functions are deployed in pairs and are required to put on safety vests, use traffic wands, and blinker lights to enhance their visibility to motorists. ICA also ensures there is adequate lighting of the roads, and we take firm enforcement action against those who breach traffic rules.
2. The accident site was at the Observation Point, where APOs perform protective security functions such as preventing unauthorised vehicles from entering or exiting the checkpoints. Preliminary investigations revealed that a 42-year-old Singaporean male driver was allegedly intoxicated and driving at high speed up the viaduct leading to Tuas Checkpoint. He allegedly lost control of his vehicle and crashed into the Observation Point area, hitting the drop arm barrier, concrete bollards and the 28-year-old APO on duty. At the time of the accident, the APO was wearing a reflective vest and a blinker. The APO sustained a severe head injury and the driver suffered lacerations. We are not able to share more as investigations are ongoing. We are very sad that a colleague working with us at the checkpoints is critically injured and remains unconscious. ICA and Certis CISCO are in contact with his family and will continue to provide help and support.
3. As would be noted, the Observation Post was protected with a drop arm barrier and concrete bollards. There are thousands of vehicles every single day, and there has been no issue so far. In this case, the driver was allegedly intoxicated and driving at high speed. We are now considering additional measures, including if the Observation Post can be shifted further away from the path of the oncoming vehicles, and whether more barriers need to be erected.
4. We cannot emphasize enough that motorists must play their part to ensure road safety for themselves, as well as other road users. They must abide by traffic rules, and directions given by officers, and should never drink and drive. The cost is high, as this accident has shown.
