Man jailed after abruptly stopping car to confront, slap van driver who was using phone while driving

SINGAPORE: A man was sentenced to nine days' jail on Friday (Aug 28) for abruptly stopping his car in the middle of a three-lane road to confront a van driver he had seen using a mobile phone while driving.

Jereme Quek Han Fei sounded his horn repeatedly and shouted vulgarities at the driver before stopping his car and approaching him.

Quek then slapped the van driver, who retaliated by punching him, and the pair got into a physical altercation.

Quek, 40, pleaded guilty to one count of acting rashly in a way that endangers the personal safety of others. Two other charges were taken into consideration.

He was also disqualified from holding or obtaining any class of driving licence for six months from Friday.

WHAT HAPPENED

Just before 1pm on Apr 5, 2026, Quek was driving along the junction of Admiralty Road West and Woodlands Avenue 10 when he found himself behind a van.

When he overtook the van, he saw its driver, named Tran Nhat Sinh in court documents, using his mobile phone while driving.

Angered by this, Quek sounded his horn repeatedly and shouted vulgarities at Tran as he followed the van. He then overtook the van and abruptly stopped his car in the middle of the three-lane road.

Quek got out and walked towards the van, continuing to shout vulgarities at Tran. He also began recording Tran on his phone, but Tran snatched the device away.

Quek then opened the van door and slapped Tran before shutting the door.

Tran got out of the van and punched Quek, after which the pair became involved in a physical altercation.

A passing motorist intervened and separated the two men. The incident was captured on Quek's in-car camera.

Quek was arrested the same day and taken to Khoo Teck Phuat Hospital, where he was found to have suffered fractured teeth and abrasions from the fight.

Tran has also been charged in court.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Intan Suhaily Abu Bakar sought two to four weeks' jail for Quek and a disqualification of six months from holding or obtaining all classes of driving licences.

She said Quek had not merely honked at Tran, but had followed him and stopped his car in the middle of the road to confront him.

His actions put both men and members of the public at risk, she said.

Quek, who was unrepresented, said in his mitigation plea that this was his first offence and that his father was currently in a nursing home.

He also asked for his sentence to be pushed back by five weeks so that he could settle work and family matters. 

In response, Ms Intan asked for his bail amount to be increased from S$10,000 (S$12,710) to S$15,000.

District Judge Ng Cheng Thiam decided not to increase the bail and granted Quek's request for the sentence to be deferred. He also spoke to Quek's wife, who was the bailor, reminding her of her responsibility.

For causing a rash act that endangers life or the personal safety of others, Quek could have been fined up to S$2,500, jailed up to six months or both.