SINGAPORE - An engineer, who was driving home in his red BMW after a drinking session with friends, entered Ayer Rajah Expressway (AYE) and headed in the wrong direction after missing a turn.
Instead of making a detour, Brandon Ng Hai Chong, 31, continued to drive against the flow of traffic on the expressway for about 2km before he entered a slip road and headed for his home in Jubilee Road, off West Coast Road.
Ng, who pleaded guilty to dangerous driving in November last year, was sentenced to four weeks' jail on Thursday (March 8). He was also disqualified from driving all classes of vehicles for five years.
The court heard that Ng had joined some friends for a drinking session at the Arena Country Club in Upper Jurong Road at around 7pm on Jan 4 last year and they shared four beer towers.
Ng admitted that he drank three to four glasses of beer before leaving the premises about six hours later.
One of his friends offered to call him a valet but he refused, said Deputy Public Prosecutor Gabriel Choong.
Ng then entered his car and was driving home in Clementi Avenue 6 when he missed a left turn into the AYE that was heading towards the city. Instead, he entered the expressway heading towards Tuas.
DPP Choong said: "The accused executed a U-turn into the rightmost lane of the expressway to go against the flow of traffic. From 1.26am to 1.28am, the accused drove against the flow of traffic along this lane.
"At least three vehicles had to switch lanes to avoid colliding into him. Traffic flow was moderate at that time."
As Ng approached the slip road into Clementi Avenue 2, he stopped his BMW, turned on his hazard lights and flashed his high beam headlights at oncoming traffic. At least four other vehicles had to take "evasive action" to avoid him this time, the court heard.
Ng then made another U-turn into the third lane of the AYE to go with the flow of traffic. He then entered the slip road into Clementi Avenue 2 and headed home two junctions away.
The court heard that he was driving at an average speed of 50kmh when he committed the offence. Police later received three calls from members of the public about Ng's driving.
In mitigation, his lawyer, Mr Luke Lee, told the court that his client had been distracted by personal problems. Ng is appealing against the sentence and was offered bail of $15,000.
Those convicted of dangerous driving for the first time can be jailed for up to a year and fined up to $5,000. Repeat offenders can be jailed for up to two years and fined up to $10,000.
