SINGAPORE: A former chief of the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) has been charged after a woman and a two-year-old boy in a stroller were injured in a traffic accident along Pasir Panjang Road last year.
74-year-old Singaporean Goh Yong Siang was accused of driving his car without reasonable consideration for other road users during the incident on May 17, 2024. The pedestrian crossing traffic light signal was reportedly also in the woman’s favour at the time.
Court documents stated that the accident happened at about 8:50 a.m. at the junction of Harbour Drive and Pasir Panjang Road, towards Telok Blangah Road. Goh was allegedly making a right turn when his vehicle collided with a woman crossing the road while pushing a stroller carrying a toddler. The woman, identified in court papers as Samsiah, suffered serious injuries. The two-year-old boy was also hurt, Channel NewsAsia (CNA) reported.
Charges linked to two related injuries
Goh faces two traffic-related charges: one relates to causing grievous hurt to the woman, while the second concerns causing hurt to the toddler.
The offences fall under driving without reasonable consideration for other road users, a charge that can carry jail time, fines, or both if convicted.
For the charge involving grievous hurt, the maximum penalty is up to two years’ jail, a fine of up to S$5,000, or both.
The second charge involving hurt carries a lighter maximum sentence of up to 12 months’ jail, a fine of up to S$2,500, or both. He may also face a driving ban. Court records stated that prosecutors accused Goh of failing to keep a proper lookout before making the turn.
Former military chief now linked to corporate boards
Goh previously served as the chief of the air force before retiring from the RSAF in 1998. Publicly available corporate records show that he later held senior roles in business and investment sectors.
Goh is currently listed as chairman of Temasek Management Services and Gas Supply, a Temasek-linked natural gas importer. His lawyers from Allen & Gledhill are representing him in court, but he hasn’t indicated how he intends to plead. His case has been adjourned to Thursday.
Road crossings remain a pressure point in Singapore
The case has also renewed discussion about pedestrian safety at major junctions, especially where drivers make right turns across crossings.
Traffic accidents involving elderly drivers frequently trigger public debate in Singapore, though authorities have repeatedly stressed that unsafe driving behaviour isn’t limited to any age group. Many recent enforcement campaigns have focused on distractions, failure to give way, and poor observation at crossings.
Pedestrian crossings may appear routine, but they remain one of the few places where drivers and pedestrians directly compete for space within seconds. A moment of missed attention can leave lasting consequences.
People behind the wheel, regardless of status or experience, still carry the same responsibility at every junction. Green lights and familiar roads don’t remove the need to slow down, check carefully, and give pedestrians the space they are legally entitled to.
