SINGAPORE: Although his driving licence expired in 1995, an elderly man took his girlfriend’s car and drove it to the doctor’s clinic, but then crashed the vehicle when he stepped on the wrong pedal.
Loh Chun Meng, an 82-year-old Singaporean man, was sentenced on Wednesday (Oct 22) to two weeks’ jail, a fine of S$2,000 (US$1,540) and was banned from driving for two years.
He pleaded guilty to three charges of driving without a valid licence, driving without insurance and driving without due care and attention, resulting in collisions. A fourth charge was taken into consideration.
The court heard that Loh’s driving licence expired in November 1995. He did not renew his licence, although he had the opportunity to do so. The licence then became invalid.
On Oct 30, 2023, Loh stayed over at his 57-year-old girlfriend’s home in Ang Mo Kio. The next morning, he woke up and felt pain in his knees.
He decided to drive to his doctor’s clinic in Towner Road to get an injection for the pain in his knees.
He took his girlfriend’s car keys from the kitchen and drove her car to the clinic. The woman was asleep and was unaware of Loh’s actions.
After getting the injection at the clinic, Loh drove to Block 151, Bishan Street 11, to buy breakfast.
However, while he was driving in the open-air car park, he stepped on the accelerator when he intended to use the brake.
