SINGAPORE - The authorities are mulling over the implementation of more safety measures at Tuas Checkpoint after a Singaporean driver allegedly lost control of his car in March and left an auxiliary police officer critically injured.

The new safety measures that are being considered include putting up more barriers and shifting the observation post where the officer was stationed away from the path of oncoming vehicles, said Law and Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam.

The 28-year-old officer from security services firm Certis remains unconscious nearly a month after suffering a severe head injury from the March 24 accident, he added.

Mr Shanmugam, in a written parliamentary reply on Friday, was responding to Hougang MP Dennis Tan, who had asked whether the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) will review its operations and design of entry points at the border crossing to cut the risk of similar incidents.

In his reply, Mr Shanmugam said the accident took place at the observation point, where auxiliary police officers are stationed as part of efforts to prevent unauthorised vehicles from entering or exiting the checkpoints.

Preliminary investigations found that the 42-year-old driver was allegedly intoxicated and driving at a high speed up the viaduct leading to Tuas Checkpoint, he added.

Mr Shanmugam said the driver allegedly lost control of his vehicle and crashed into the checkpoint’s observation point area, hitting a drop arm barrier, concrete bollards and the auxiliary police officer, who had been wearing a reflective vest and a blinker.

On the day of the accident, ICA and the police, in a joint statement, said the car had flipped and hit the officer on duty. Both the driver and the officer were later taken to hospital.

ICA and Certis are in touch with the officer’s family and will continue to provide help and support, Mr Shanmugam said.

Meanwhile, the driver was arrested on the day of the accident for dangerous driving causing grievous hurt, and for drink driving. He had some lacerations from the accident.

Mr Shanmugam said more information cannot be made public because investigations are ongoing.

He added that the observation post came with protective features like the drop arm barrier and concrete bollards, and there has been no issue so far, with thousands of vehicles going by daily.

In this case, the driver was allegedly intoxicated and driving at high speed, he said.

Other existing safety measures include road humps to deter speeding at the approaches to land checkpoints, and signs to remind motorists of the speed limit and about keeping lane discipline.

Officers are also deployed in pairs to control traffic and have safety vests, traffic wands and blinker lights to help enhance their visibility.

ICA also ensures there is adequate road lighting and takes action against those who breach traffic rules, said Mr Shanmugam.

He said: “We cannot emphasise enough that motorists must play their part to ensure road safety for themselves, as well as other road users.

“They must abide by traffic rules and directions given by officers, and should never drink and drive. The cost is high, as this accident has shown.”