19YO PMD Rider Arrested For Allegedly Knocking Down 12YO Boy In Yishun; Caused Facial Injuries

PMDs have become one of the hottest topics this year, hasn’t it?

Throughout the past two years, the influx of news about innocent members of the public getting injured and even getting killed in accidents involving PMDs have led to a growing debate on whether the devices still remain safe to use in public.

Earlier this month on the 5th, the government then decided they wanted to do something about it and banned PMDs on footpaths, resulting in the division of Singaporeans into two camps and a whole lot of flak.

Yet, even after the ban, we’re still hearing about PMD related accidents. Really?

Another PMD Accident

On 29 March 2018, more than a year and a half before the PMD ban on footpaths, a 19-year-old PMD rider found himself in trouble when he knocked down a 12-year-old boy while cruising along.

The 12-year-old boy was at the basketball court near Block 838 at Yishun Street 81 when all of a sudden, he got struck down by the PMD rider at around 11am.

The impact from the crash caused the boy to suffer from bruises and abrasions on his right cheek, as well as bleeding from his upper right first primary molar. Ouch, that sounds painful – imagine the scarring.

Luckily, he was able to receive immediate medical attention after the incident took place.

And The PMD Rider Got Arrested

According to a news release on 26 Nov 2019, the 19-year-old PMD rider was arrested by the police for his suspected involvement in a rash act causing hurt.

Investigations were carried out and the rider was identified by officers from the Ang Mo Kio Police Division subsequently, and he will be charged in court for partaking in a rash act causing hurt on 27 Nov.

If he is found guilty, he may face a fine of up to $5,000, or a one-year jail term, or worse, both.

Safety First

Many still remain enraged about the recent PMD ban earlier this month, but to be honest, incidents like this are probably exactly why the ban was implemented in the first place.

Hopefully, PMD riders will continue to remain alert and cautious while commuting on their devices to refrain from causing harm to other innocent passersby, despite the ongoing ban.

Even if you want to find loopholes around the ban like these unhappy riders did, the safety of others and yourself still comes first!