SINGAPORE — A 67-year-old lorry driver failed to keep a proper lookout when ferrying 22 workers in January and side-swiped a bus on Jurong Island Highway before ploughing into the back of another bus that had stopped to pick up a passenger.

As a result of the collision, four passengers suffered serious injuries — rib, leg, and hip fractures — that left them unable to work for periods of up to two months. Another 19 people suffered minor injuries.

For driving negligently so as to endanger the personal safety of others, the driver, Loo Teck Choon, was sentenced to three weeks' jail and a two-year driving ban on Tuesday (Sept 17). Loo pleaded guilty to two charges under the Penal Code.

The accident took place at about 7.30am on Jan 9.

Bus driver Madam Chong Boon Peng, 55, had stopped her vehicle along the left-most lane of the road towards Seraya Avenue to pick up a 37-year-old Bangladeshi national.

But Loo, a Singaporean, did not slow down as he approached Mdm Chong’s bus at a speed of between 60km/h and 70km/h. When he saw the stationary bus, it was too late.

Loo tried to change lanes, but his lorry side-swiped the rear-left portion of another bus driving in the lane he was trying to change into — the middle lane — causing his lorry to plough head-first into the back of Madam Chong’s bus.

The impact caused the rear portion of Madam Chong’s bus to be dented, scratched and ripped off. The windscreen and left passenger window of the lorry was also shattered.

Footage of the accident was shared widely on social media.

Apart from the four seriously injured passengers, the other passengers who suffered minor injuries were also taken to hospital. They had strains, abrasions, bruises, and tenderness. One of them had a chipped tooth.

For causing grievous hurt to the four seriously hurt passengers, Loo could have been jailed for up to two years, fined a maximum of S$5,000, or both. For causing hurt to the 19 other passengers, Loo could have been jailed for up to six months, or fined up to S$2,500.