Jail for driver who stepped on accelerator by mistake, hitting pedestrians at Nex taxi stand

Before reaching the taxi stand outside the mall, Li took over the wheel as she intended to drop him off at the taxi stand for work.

At that time, the taxi stand was busy, with at least 10 people standing in the area, said Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Law Yan An.

At around 7.50am, as Li approached the taxi stand, she stepped on the accelerator instead of braking as she had intended.

The car surged forward and hit the victim, its front left wheel running over her right foot.

Li’s car also hit two other pedestrians standing at the taxi stand, causing them to fall. The front right portion of her car also struck the rear bumper of a stationary taxi with its driver and passenger inside, said DPP Law.

The victim suffered open fractures to the bones in her right leg, a fractured pelvis, a puncture wound to her left thigh, and a deep laceration to her right calf.

She underwent multiple surgeries and was given 89 days of hospitalisation leave.

The other pedestrians, the taxi driver and the passenger also suffered varying degrees of hurt, and were given medical leave ranging from two to seven days.

Seeking a jail term of 15 to 20 days’ jail and a five-year disqualification from driving, DPP Law said Li’s lapse was significant as it involved her confusing two critical vehicle controls with opposite functions.

In mitigation, defence lawyer Anil Singh Sandhu said this was Li’s first brush with the law, adding: “She knows she has a price to pay and she’s pleading for leniency.”

“Crucially, after the accident, she has not driven and is not likely to ever drive again,” he said.