Man gets fine and driving ban for hitting pedestrian on expressway, killing him

SINGAPORE – While driving on the CTE just before 6am in June 2023, a man did not notice that a pedestrian had wandered onto the first lane.

Daniel Tan Yong Lin, 37, ended up hitting the pedestrian, Japanese national Kenji Yamamoto, killing him.

On Sept 22, Tan was fined $6,000 and banned from driving for eight years after he pleaded guilty to one charge of driving without due care and attention, causing death.

The prosecution had sought a fine of between $6,000 and $8,000, as well as a driving ban of eight years.

The incident happened on June 29, 2023, at

5.59am

in the CTE tunnel near the Cairnhill Circle exit, in the direction of the AYE.

Mr Yamamoto, who was intoxicated, was walking down the chevron lines before the exit against the flow of traffic.

When Mr Yamamoto reached the end of the chevron lines, he crossed two lanes of the expressway and was hit by Tan’s car in lane one.

Court documents stated that Tan had failed to keep a proper lookout ahead and did not see the victim crossing the road in front of him until it was too late.

He was driving at a speed of between 94kmh and 101kmh at that point, and was unable to brake in time.

Tan hit Mr Yamamoto, flinging him forward.

Tan called the police for assistance, and the victim was pronounced dead at 6.15am.

An autopsy conducted on June 30, 2023, showed that Mr Yamamoto died from multiple injuries suffered in a motor vehicle collision.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Yee Jia Rong said: “The accused’s culpability can be said to be low, although we highlight that he was travelling above the speed limit.”

This reduced his braking reaction time.

“However, the victim’s actions had significantly contributed to the accident as he was intoxicated and crossing a section of an expressway where pedestrian access was forbidden.”

For driving without due care and attention, causing death, Tan could have been jailed for up to three years, fined up to $10,000, or both.