Driver, 94, handed 5-year ban and fine after crash; biker suffered fractures in accident

SINGAPORE – A 94-year-old driver who collided with a motorcyclist with the right of way along Upper Thomson Road has been hit with a five-year driving disqualification and a $5,000 fine.

Goh Boon Kang pleaded guilty on Nov 4 to one charge of driving without reasonable consideration to other road users and causing grievous hurt to the victim.

Goh, who was using a walking stick in court, was allowed to sit during proceedings.

The court heard that the accident happened as he was making a discretionary right turn along Upper Thomson Road, near the junction of Jalan Angklong, on Sept 2, 2025, at around 9.45am.

Goh failed to give way to a motorcyclist coming from his left and collided with him.

Footage of the accident played in court showed the 58-year-old motorcyclist being thrown off his bike onto the road.

Another motorcyclist came close to crashing into Goh’s car but managed to stop in time.

The victim suffered multiple leg fractures and was warded at Tan Tock Seng Hospital for 32 days before transferring to a hospital in Malaysia to continue treatment.

Singapore does not impose a maximum age limit for holding a driver’s licence.

Under the Road Traffic Act, medical assessments are required for motorists aged 65 and above who wish to retain their driving licences.

The three-yearly assessment covers the motorist’s past medical history, vision, hearing, movement, and physical or mental abnormalities.

A Singapore-registered medical practitioner conducts the assessment using the medical examination checklist developed by the Traffic Police, based on guidelines by the Singapore Medical Association.

The road traffic situation is a concern with the number of traffic accidents resulting in injuries increasing from 3,748 in the first half of 2025 to 3,869 in the same period in 2026.

The number of road traffic deaths hit a 10-year high of 149 in 2025, compared with 141 in 2016.

Nadine Chua is a correspondent covering crime and court at The Straits Times.