SINGAPORE - A taxi driver has been arrested in Geylang for suspected drink driving after having originally been caught for not wearing a seat belt.

Police said that they conducted checks on a 41-year-old man in Sims Avenue at 8.37am on Tuesday (Jan 15). They then arrested him.

A photo submitted to citizen journalism site Stomp shows a pink Toyota taxi, understood to be from Prime Taxi.

In response to The Straits Times' queries, a Prime spokesman said that it was conducting its own investigations into the incident.

"We take safety very seriously. Once the company's and police investigations are concluded, we will release more details," the spokesman said.

ST understands that traffic police officers had spotted the man not wearing a seat belt while driving his taxi. A passenger was in the taxi.

Police grew suspicious when the man smelled strongly of alcohol after they stopped him. After using a breathalyser test, the police arrested him for suspected drink driving.

"Drink driving while carrying passengers is very rare for taxi drivers, as they are typically the main breadwinners of their family, and would not act illegally and affect their livelihood," MP Ang Hin Kee, who is executive adviser to the National Taxi Association, told Shin Min Daily News.

At the same time, Mr Ang, who is also executive adviser to the National Private Hire Vehicles Association, told the Chinese-language newspaper that drink driving endangers not only the driver, but also his passenger and other road users.

The police are investigating this incident.