Speeding deaths: Consider capital punishment
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Jul 21, 2010 - ST Forum
Speeding deaths: Consider capital punishment
LAST year, there were 188 road fatalities, or a road death every other day, and driving along Lim Chu Kang Road on Monday morning, it was not difficult for me to see why.
The speed limit of the road was 70kmh, and as I drove along, big trucks and lorries flashed past me, dangerously above the speed limit.
Drivers who speed do not realise that they are part of a killing machine. Speeding is a fatal menace and should be much more policed than it is now.
During my 45-minute journey from Kranji to Suntec City, I did not spot a single police patrol car or Traffic Police motorcycle.
Speed traps are too few and far between, allowing irresponsible drivers to bolt and swerve on expressways unpunished.
Alongside public campaigns on road safety, there should be more traffic policing vehicles to arrest the immediate problem of dangerous speedsters.
It is also appalling to see the types of vehicles allowed on our expressways, and the manner in which they are driven: small motorcycles with unprotected riders in slippers zipping in and out of traffic, and lorries loaded with men and material zooming past speed limits.
Singapore has stringent standards in licensing drivers, but such standards are futile if we let law-breaking speedsters threaten the lives of other road users and do not police such dangerous drivers.
Fines and imprisonment may not be enough of a disincentive.
The punishment which will effectively deter speeding is caning.
And if a driver's speeding is responsible for a road user's death, then hanging is a fair punishment for killing someone.
Ivy Singh-Lim (Mrs)
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Capital punishment for speeding leh. And we always thought countries that stoned people for adultery and chop off their hands for stealing was bad.
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A few strokes of the cane would be do.
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Depends how you see this situation.
As a driver... you would disagree with it.
There are simply too many jaywalkers who walk slowly like the road belong to theirs.
They just jump out of the road... and there are some playing near the roads, pushing one another, waiting to get killed.
And then there are cyclists who do not cycle with helmets on one the roads, some even driving on the opposite side of the road.
In 4 way traffic junction, some cyclists think the road is theirs, they just cycle through the junction, and expect vehicles to give way.
These people deserve to die... Cant penalise poor drivers who get prosecuted for nothing.
Although I do agree that capital punishment should be given to those drink drivers, like that of the Romanian drink-drive-hit-kill-and-run situations. -
I agree they got away too lightly. Increase jail term and caning would be good.
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I think the govt should fine those people for speeding until they become bankrupt.
The govt will need the money to pay the salaries of our ministers
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i just saw her at suntec yest.
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who you saw at suntec
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i dont drive but disagree.
its a crazy suggestion.
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there's caning alrdy for drink driving and causing other ppl's injury or death.
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people who come up with stupid suggestions like these should be put to death too
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Jul 26, 2010 - ST Forum
Capital punishment for speeding deaths: Let's not go down this road
MRS Ivy Singh-Lim last Wednesday linked capital punishment to speeding offences ("Speeding deaths: Consider capital punishment").
If the intent of a person is to speed, resulting in the death of another road user, and he deserves the capital punishment, then what will be the punishment for a person with intent to kill?
Does staying within the speed limit guarantee there will be no death of another road user? Shouldn't drivers of emergency vehicles be punished as well since they will more likely than not travel above the speed limit?
The focus should be on educating road users to be less selfish and more considerate, rather than punishment.
Mark Koh