Car driver with vape arrested for drug-driving after accident in Rochor involving bus, PAB

SINGAPORE – A 31-year-old male car driver was arrested for drug-driving after an accident involving his car, a power-assisted bicycle (PAB) and a bus in Rochor on the evening of Sept 12.

In response to queries from The Straits Times, the police and the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said they were alerted to the accident along Middle Road, towards Sophia Road, at about 6.45pm.

SBS Transit spokeswoman Grace Wu said Service 56 bus was rear-ended by the car while passengers were boarding and alighting at a bus stop.

Two people – a 32-year-old male PAB rider and a 65-year-old female bus passenger – were taken conscious to Raffles Hospital, the authorities said.

Five other bus passengers sustained minor injuries but declined to be taken to hospital. The remaining passengers were transferred to another bus to continue their journeys, Wu added.

The police said the car driver also suffered minor injuries but refused to be taken to hospital, adding that he was subsequently arrested for driving under the influence of drugs.

The police also said that a vaporiser was found in the driver’s possession. This vaporiser-related offence has been referred to the Health Sciences Authority (HSA). ST has contacted HSA for more information.

Police investigations are ongoing.

Footage shared on Facebook group Complaint Singapore shows a black car that had crashed into the back of an SBS Transit bus at a bus stop along Middle Road.

The bus’s engine compartment and the car’s bonnet were badly damaged.

An SCDF van can also be seen at the scene, with the vehicles blocking the two leftmost lanes.

According to the Singapore Police Force’s website, driving under the influence carries a jail term of up to one year, a fine of up to $10,000, or both for first-time offenders.

Repeat offenders can face up to two years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to $20,000. Offenders will also be subjected to disqualification from driving.

Between 2023 and 2025, there were 38 traffic accidents that involved drug or etomidate use. Of these, 19 involved drug use, 12 involved etomidate, while the remaining seven cases involved both.

Traffic deaths hit a 10-year-high in 2025, with 149 killed, compared with 142 in 2024. The number of injured people also increased, from 9,342 in 2024 to 9,955 in 2025.