Ex-SBS Transit bus driver hit pedestrian in Pasir Ris, causing her to have leg partially amputated

Shaffiq Alkhatib
The Straits Times
October 3, 2023

A former SBS Transit driver was sentenced to seven months’ jail on Tuesday after a bus he was driving in 2019 struck a woman pedestrian, resulting in her having part of her left leg amputated.

Tan Phuay Khoo, 62, who was earlier convicted of one count of causing grievous hurt to the woman by driving in an inconsiderate manner, was also disqualified from holding or obtaining all classes of driving licences for five years from his date of release.

He intends to appeal against his conviction and sentence, and was offered bail of $15,000 on Tuesday.

On Jan 19, 2019, Tan was driving a bus at around noon when he reached the junction of Pasir Ris Drive 1 and Pasir Ris Drive 2.

At the same time, the victim was crossing Pasir Ris Drive 1 as the traffic light was in her favour.

Tan made a discretionary right turn after waiting for a van to pass, and the bus struck the woman.

She was rushed to Changi General Hospital with injuries, including fractures to both legs and degloving injuries in her left leg.

A body part is said to be degloved when top layers of skin and tissue are ripped from the underlying muscle or bone.

The woman then had to have part of her left leg amputated.

She had testified during the trial that she was rendered unable to perform daily activities such as climbing stairs without assistance.

On Sept 25, Deputy Public Prosecutor R. Arvindren told District Judge Kok Shu-En that the victim was in her 30s at the time, and her life had been permanently affected.

Stressing that the victim was walking at a normal pace before the accident occurred, the DPP added: “The accused was operating a heavy vehicle and the turn was within a residential zone.

“He had proceeded to make the turn even though the pedestrian green light was in the pedestrian’s favour.”

During the trial, Tan said that he did not notice the victim at all before the collision.

The prosecutor had earlier said in his submissions: “If the accused is insisting that... obstructions made things difficult for him to have spotted the victim, he simply should have stopped and checked.”

In September, an SBS Transit spokesperson told The Straits Times : “Mr Tan is no longer in our employ. We have dismissed him.”

If convicted of causing grievous hurt to another person by driving in an inconsiderate manner, an offender can be jailed for up to two years and fined up to $5,000.