SINGAPORE — The right-hand corner of the front of the bus was a blind spot, while the elderly cardboard collector, who had been walking in front of the vehicle, stood at a petite 1.47m at her tallest.  

The combination of these two factors probably led to the accident that killed the 86-year-old woman in November 2014, concluded State Coroner Marvin Bay today (Feb 12).

On Nov 12, the day of the accident, Mdm Ching Guan Eng had been going about her daily routine, pushing a trolley loaded with recycled items along Marsiling Lane. She was walking in front of a stationary bus, parked along the leftmost lane of the road, according to an investigation report tendered to the court.

The driver of the bus, Oh Chin Chai, had been working with Rui Feng Chartered for about a year, ferrying school children and factory workers. That morning, he was at a market nearby, buying a rubber mat for his bus. 

After making his purchase, the 59-year-old returned to the bus, and checked that there were no vehicles in front of him. He also checked the side mirrors, as well as the blind spot mirror. 

But just as he was driving off, Mr Oh felt the bus run over something, as the vehicle shook. He stopped when he heard a passer-by shouting at him to stop. Upon alighting, Mr Oh saw a trolley under the bus, near a front tyre. The passer-by pointed under the bus, where Mdm Ching was lying motion-less under the right rear tyre. 

The passer-by, identified in the investigation report as Mr Ramlee Sahat, spoke loudly to Mdm Ching, and saw that she was still breathing. He then called the police. 

In a conditioned statement, Mr Ramlee, 61, said that he had been cycling along Marsiling Lane between 8am and 9am. He suddenly heard a woman shouting loudly, and turned towards the direction of the noise. He saw Mdm Ching going under the bus, and was shocked that the bus was still moving after the collision. 

First responders later extricated Mdm Ching’s body from under the bus, and she was pronounced dead at the scene. A forensic pathologist assessed that she died from injuries consistent with a road traffic accident, including severe head injuries, a dislocated knee and abrasions on her face, torso and limbs. 

Mdm Ching’s son, Toon Ngee Suan, told police that his mother was healthy, and had not been in financial difficulty nor displayed suicidal behaviour. 

Through a scene reconstruction, a forensic scientist identified a single main blind zone for a person in the driver seat of the bus, and concluded that it was unlikely for Mr Oh to be able to detect Mdm Ching within the zone.

Delivering the findings at a Coroner’s Inquiry hearing today, Mr Bay said Mdm Ching had probably encroached into the bus’s travel path. “She was in front and may not have been aware of the presence of the bus. The bus driver may not (have) been aware of her presence, given the identified blind spots,” said Mr Bay. 

“Notably, the driver was at an elevated position, which would have blocked his view of objects or persons in very close proximity to his bus. Mdm Ching stood at a mere 1.47m, and may have been even more inconspicuous while she pushed the trolley, as her bending would have presented an even lower profile.”

Mr Oh was charged for negligent driving last year, but was later given a discharge not amounting to an acquittal.