Forum: Jail term necessary as deterrence matters in careless driving cases
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I refer to the letter by Mr Allen Te Kek Chin ( Jail terms for careless driving can have lasting adverse impact
The consequences of an honest mistake can range from financial loss to lives being upended.
Mr Te focused on the psychological and emotional toll on careless drivers who face imprisonment.
Yet his argument makes little mention of the profound physical and psychological harm suffered by victims and their loved ones when careless driving results in injury or death.
Severe injuries that result in permanent disability can fundamentally alter a victim’s life and that of those around him.
When death occurs, we need to just think of those left behind: someone losing a son, a father, a sibling, a close friend or a breadwinner – the list goes on, and one can see the far-reaching impact on lives.
Mr Te’s argument also overlooks a fundamental aspect of human behaviour: People are often guided by the severity of consequences attached to their actions. A jail term can serve as a powerful deterrent, encouraging motorists to exercise the highest level of care.
A person driving a vehicle such as a car is in control of a potentially lethal machine weighing more than 1,500kg and travelling at speed. It is precisely because of this capacity to cause grave harm that strong deterrents exist.
It would be far more productive to reinforce the message that getting behind the wheel comes with heavy responsibilities.
Peh Chwee Hoe
