Most drivers here would find that dozing off behind the wheel is a common experience, but they would do well to ensure they never do so again — a sleep-deprived taxi driver has been banned from driving and sentenced to jail for causing the death of a cyclist.
The Straits Times reports that 39-year-old Mohammad Adzhar Ahmad had been driving from 2pm to 9pm the day before the freak accident on July 14 last year, and only took an hour-long break before resuming work on the roads. A couple of hours later at 1.25am, he pulled over at a bus stop along Stevens Road and took a short nap, and continued driving an hour later despite his unshakeable tiredness. While passing through Upper Seletar Reservoir, he chose to keep on driving and head to an SPC petrol kiosk to wash up.
Unfortunately, while driving along Mandai Road around 5.30am, he momentarily fell asleep behind the wheel, causing the taxi to drift across the centre white line and slam into 32-year-old Australian Benjamin Paul Lawrance. He had been cycling from the opposite direction.
The impact was horrendous. Lawrance smashed into the taxi's windscreen, lacerating his chest. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
In court, it was heard that Adzhar became very depressed over the accident and has expressed his deepest condolences to the Lawrance's remaining next of kin.
The father of three will be serving a three-month stint in prison and has been banned from driving for seven years after admitting to his offence.
Photo: ilumove via Flickr
Most drivers here would find that dozing off behind the wheel is a common experience, but they would do well to ensure they never do so again — a sleep-deprived taxi driver has been banned from driving and sentenced to jail for causing the death of a cyclist.
The Straits Times reports that 39-year-old Mohammad Adzhar Ahmad had been driving from 2pm to 9pm the day before the freak accident on July 14 last year, and only took an hour-long break before resuming work on the roads. A couple of hours later at 1.25am, he pulled over at a bus stop along Stevens Road and took a short nap, and continued driving an hour later despite his unshakeable tiredness. While passing through Upper Seletar Reservoir, he chose to keep on driving and head to an SPC petrol kiosk to wash up.
Unfortunately, while driving along Mandai Road around 5.30am, he momentarily fell asleep behind the wheel, causing the taxi to drift across the centre white line and slam into 32-year-old Australian Benjamin Paul Lawrance. He had been cycling from the opposite direction.
The impact was horrendous. Lawrance smashed into the taxi's windscreen, lacerating his chest. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
In court, it was heard that Adzhar became very depressed over the accident and has expressed his deepest condolences to the Lawrance's remaining next of kin.
The father of three will be serving a three-month stint in prison and has been banned from driving for seven years after admitting to his offence.
Photo: ilumove via Flickr