A 55-year-old man was sentenced to three weeks’ jail on Thursday after he admitted to driving without consideration for other road users. For five years, he has also been prohibited from obtaining or possessing any kind of driver’s license.
The sentencing comes after Mohammed Shahrin Shamsuddin, who serves as the chairman of a local mosque, was involved in an accident around 11 pm on March 11, 2024.
After leaving Lorong Sarina, Shahrin crossed four lanes and crossed a double white line at a crossroads close to Sims Avenue East to reach his destination. He struck a cyclist, who was riding in the first lane of the road. As Shahrin was in a rush, he didn’t notice him and the cyclist ended up with multiple fractures and lacerations.
The court heard that he chose to go from the fourth lane to the first lane at a non-signalized intersection shortly after turning out of Lorong Sarina into Sims Avenue East. He violated traffic laws by cutting across a lane with double white lines in the process.
Shahrin didn’t realize that he had smashed into an approaching cyclist’s route as he was moving from the fourth lane to the first lane, which led to the accident.
The 49-year-old cyclist suffered fractures to his neck and collarbone. He was hospitalized for six days after surgery before being discharged with 49 days of hospitalization leave.
Shahrin had prior traffic infractions, including speeding, careless driving, and making an unauthorized U-turn, the court heard.
On November 14, 2024, the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis) responded to The Straits Times by stating that it was aware of Shahrin’s accident and the charges she was facing. Additionally, Muis asked all mosque employees and volunteers to abide by Singaporean legislation.
