A 56-year-old Chinese national has been sentenced to 13 months’ jail and fined S$1,000 after driving an over-height lorry into the Central Expressway (CTE) tunnel entrance, causing approximately S$1.45 million worth of damage.
The driver, identified as Lai Daohong (transliterated), pleaded guilty to two offences under Singapore’s Road Traffic Act. In addition to the jail term and fine, he was disqualified from holding all classes of driving licences for 24 months.
The incident happened on Nov. 8, 2024, at around 12:10pm at the CTE entrance along Cairnhill Road towards the Seletar Expressway (SLE).
According to footage shared online, the crane attached to the lorry first struck a tree branch before hitting a height restriction bar. The vehicle then crashed into the tunnel entrance, severely damaging the ceiling.
The impact left exposed wires hanging from the tunnel ceiling and forced authorities to close the affected road for around 10 hours while repairs and recovery works were carried out.
Driver Failed To Lower Crane Before Journey
Court documents revealed that Lai had failed to ensure the crane mounted on the lorry had been lowered before setting off.
Between approximately 11:50am and 12:10pm, he travelled about 3.1km along several roads, including Nassim Road, Tanglin Road, Orchard Road, Pit Building Road and Cairnhill Road, before eventually colliding with the tunnel entrance.
The height limit for the tunnel is 4.5 metres.
After realising the crane had struck the tunnel ceiling, Lai stopped the vehicle and lowered the crane. He was subsequently arrested for operating an over-height heavy vehicle without the required police or auxiliary police escort.
The Land Transport Authority (LTA) later confirmed that the affected slip road only reopened at around 10:35pm after extensive recovery operations.
Repeat Offender Previously Convicted For Similar Incident
The court heard that this was not Lai’s first offence of a similar nature.
In January 2017, he was fined S$3,500 and disqualified from driving for nine months after a heavy vehicle he was driving struck a building or structure.
Prosecutors argued that drivers of heavy vehicles have a heightened responsibility to ensure their vehicles comply with safety requirements before travelling on public roads.
They highlighted the extensive damage caused to the tunnel, including loosened cables and infrastructure damage that resulted in repair costs exceeding S$1.4 million. The incident also caused significant traffic congestion and inconvenience to motorists using the expressway.
Although no injuries were reported, prosecutors stressed that the situation posed a serious risk to public safety.
Driver Claimed Warning Alarm Was Faulty
Through an interpreter, Lai reportedly told the court that a warning alarm on the vehicle had malfunctioned on the day of the incident.
He claimed he would not have forgotten to lower the crane if the alarm had sounded as intended.
However, prosecutors noted that he did not mention any alarm malfunction during investigations. They further argued that it remained his responsibility to inspect the vehicle and ensure all safety systems were functioning properly before driving.
Given his previous conviction involving a similar offence, prosecutors said he should have been particularly aware of the importance of carrying out such checks.
The defence highlighted that Lai stopped immediately after the collision, cooperated fully with investigators and expressed remorse for his actions. They also told the court that he is the sole breadwinner of his family.
Despite these mitigating factors, the court imposed a custodial sentence, citing the seriousness of the offence, the substantial financial losses incurred and Lai’s prior record for a similar incident.