The Traffic Court

The Traffic Court hears and tries traffic offences. It deals with all fresh traffic arrest cases, Traffic Police summonses/notices where there are no offers of composition as well as Land Transport Authority summonses/notices where there are no offers of composition.

It operates as a mentions court which deals with a wide variety of applications including applications for bail, remand and adjournments and is involved in the management of traffic cases. It is also the trial court for traffic cases.

Traffic offences without any offer of composition

If there is no offer of composition, you are required to attend the Traffic Court on the date and time stipulated. Once you have been dealt with by the Traffic Court, you will be given either a fine ticket (blue in colour) or a Fine Advice Chit by the Court Officer. You can make the payment at the Finance Section which is located at Level one of the State Courts, Havelock Square Complex.

Minor traffic offences with an offer of composition

A traffic offence is considered minor if there is an offer of composition stated on the traffic ticket or notice. There is an offer of composition if the ticket or notice states a sum of money which you can pay to settle the ticket or notice without going to court.

AXS Stations: Anyone who receives a traffic ticket or notice from the Traffic Police Department, Land Transport Authority, Housing and Development Board or Urban Redevelopment Authority for a minor traffic offence may use the AXS Station to settle the fine.

If the offer of composition has expired, users can use the Automated Traffic Offence Management System (ATOMS) to settle their tickets or notices by pleading guilty to the traffic offence stated in their ticket or notice and pay a court fine. With ATOMS, users can settle their traffic tickets at their convenience and there is no need to go to court.

ATOMS is run on the AXS Stations which are located island-wide. You can call the AXS Hotline at 6560 2727 or visit their website at http://www.axs.com.sg to find the AXS Station nearest to you.

Please note that the operating hours for the AXS Hotline are:

8.00 am to 10.00 pm daily

(including Sundays and public holidays)

Commonly Asked Questions on the Traffic Court

Can I claim legal aid for a traffic offence?

Yes, it is possible but not guaranteed, as there are rules on eligibility for free legal aid, depending on the individual lawyer/ law firm or other organization you approach in regards to your case.

Should I hire a lawyer, or can I represent myself in Court?

This depends on whether your traffic offence is a minor or serious one.

Your traffic ticket/notice will indicate whether your traffic offence is serious or minor. If the ticket specifies an “offer of composition”, your offence is considered minor. You can pay a “composition” to settle the ticket/notice without going to court (thus, you do not have to hire counsel), provided you pay on time.

If there is no offer of composition, your offence is considered serious. You must attend court on the appointed date. If you plead guilty, the court will impose a sentence. If you claim trial, a date will be set for the case to be heard. 1

On what grounds can my licence be suspended/revoked?

Singapore’s demerit points system named the Driver Improvement Points System (DIPS) was introduced on 1 March 1983. DIPS is designed to identify and rehabilitate errant drivers through a system of rewards and punishments. Errant motorists are thus encouraged to imporve their driving behaviours on the roads with incentives to expunge their demerit points and previous suspension records as well as remission of suspension period.

For new motorists who are under one year of probation from the date of grant on their dirving licence, the driving licence can be revoked and become invalid when 13 or more demerit points are accumulated. The licence holder will have to retake all necessary tests to obtain a licence again.

For non-probation motorists, where they have no previous suspension record with Traffic Police, and they have accumulated 24 or more demerit points within 24 consecuive months, their driving licence will become liable for the 1^st^ suspension of 12 weeks. If a motorists has a previous suspension record with Traffice Police, and they have accumulated 12 or more demerit points within 12 months, their driving lience will become liable for the subsequent suspension. For subsequent suspensions after the 1^st^ suspension, the suspension periods are:

Where the suspension period lasts a year or longer (ie. 3^rd^ suspension and onwards), the driving licence will be revoked and become invalid. The licence holder will have to retake all the necessary driving tests (theory and practical) to obtain a licence to drive/ride again.

Motorists liable for 1^st^ and 2^nd^ suspension will offer a retraining course to correct their driving beaviours. If they take and pass the retraining course, their suspension period will be given a remission. For 1st suspension, the suspension period will be reduced from 12 weeks to 4 weeks. If none of their traffic offences leading to their 1st suspension was involved in traffic accident, their suspension period will be further reduced to 1 week; and for 2nd suspension, it will be reduced from 24 weeks to 12 weeks.

There is no offer of retraining course and remission for 3rd and subsequent suspensions.

What are the offences listed under DIPS?

Under the DIPS, demerit points are given from a list of scheduled offences under the Road Traffic (DIPS) Rules.

List of Scheduled Offences under DIPS 2

S/N Offences committed Demerit points
1 Carrying excess pillion or carrying pillion sitting not astride 3
     
2 Rider failing to wear or wear insecurely on his head a protective helmet 3
     
3 Disobeying traffic direction of police officer, employee of 3
  Authority or security officer engaged in regulating traffic  
     
4 Conveying load not properly secured 3
     
5 Using tyres with ply or cord carcass exposed  3
     
6 Driver failing to wear seat belt 3
     
7 Parking abreast of another vehicle  3
     
8 Parking within a pedestrian crossing  3
     
9 Stopping in a zebra controlled (or more commonly 3
  known as zebra crossing) area  
     
10 Driver failing to ensure that every passenger wears a seat belt 3
     
11 Using a motor vehicle where a person below 1.35 metres in height 3
  is a passenger and is not properly secured by an approved child  
  restraint or a body-restraining seat belt  
     
12 Parking within a Demerit Points No Parking Zone  3
     
13 Stopping within a Demerit Points No Stopping Zone  3
     
14 Failing to fill up every passenger seat in driver’s cabin, or 3
  any additional cabin or enclosed space provided for the  
  carriage of passengers or goods and which is adjacent to or is  
  an extension of the cabin for the driver, before carrying any  
  person on the floor of open deck goods vehicle  
  Fine: Light Vehicle: $120 /  Heavy Vehicle: $150  
     
     
15 Exceeding speed limit for vehicle by 1 to 20 kilometres per hour 4
     
16 Exceeding speed limit on a road by 1 to 20 kilometres per hour 4
     
17 Failing to give way to oncoming traffic at controlled junction 4
     
18 Failing to give way at uncontrolled junction 4
     
19 Failing to give way at junction 4
     
20 Failing to give way at roundabout 4
     
21 Crossing double white lines 4
     
22 Crossing road divider 4
     
23 Obstructing flow of traffic  4
     
24 Forming up incorrectly when turning left or right  4
     
25 Failing to give way to ambulance, fire brigade or 4
  police vehicle   
     
26 Driving while carrying load on a motor vehicle in a 4
  dangerous manner  
     
27 Stopping on the shoulder or verge of an expressway  4
     
28 Stopping or remaining at rest on the carriage way of 4
  expressway   
  Fine : Light Vehicle: $130 /  Heavy Vehicle: $160  
     
     
29 Exceeding speed limit for vehicle by 21 to 30 kilometre per hour 6
     
30 Exceeding speed limit on a road by 21 to 30 kilometres per hour 6
     
31 Driving on the shoulder of an expressway  6
     
32 Failing to securely tie or attach goods to a goods 6
  vehicle to prevent their falling off from the vehicle  
     
33 Offences committed by motorists at pedestrian crossing 6
     
34 Driving or riding against the flow of traffic as 6
  indicated by traffic signs    
     
35 Careless driving  6
     
36 Carrying passengers on a motor vehicle or trailer in 6
  a dangerous manner  
     
37 Reversing unnecessarily along an expressway 6
     
38 Failing to obey 1.1 metre height restriction for 6
  persons carried on open deck goods vehicle  
     
39 Carrying passengers when the clear floor space of the open deck 6
  of goods vehicle available for each passenger is insufficient  
  Fine : Light Vehicle: $150 / Heavy Vehicle: $180  
     
     
40 Exceeding speed limit for vehicle by 31 to 40 kilometres per hour 8
     
41 Exceeding speed limit on a road by 31 to 40 kilometres per hour 8
  Fine : Light Vehicle: $170 / Heavy Vehicle: $200  
     
     
42 Driving without due care or reasonable consideration 9
  for other road users   
     
43 Carrying passengers on a goods vehicle in a dangerous manner 9
  Fine : Light Vehicle: $170 / Heavy Vehicle: $200  
     
     
44 Exceeding speed limit for vehicle by 41 to 50 kilometres per hour 12
     
45 Exceeding speed limit on a road by 41 to 50 kilometres per hour 12
     
  Offender will be prosecuted in court  
     
     
     
46 Failing to conform to traffic light signals  12
  Fine: Light Vehicle: $200 / Heavy Vehicle: $230  
     
47 Use of mobile telephone while driving  12
  1st offence: Fine not exceeding $1000 or jail up to 6 months or both  
  2nd and subsequent offence: Fine not exceeding $2000 or jail up to  
  12 months or both  
     
48 Exceeding speed limit for vehicle by 51 to 60 kilometres per hour 18
     
49 Exceeding speed limit on a road by 51 to 60 kilometres per hour 18
     
  Offender will be prosecuted in court  
     
     
50 Exceeding speed limit for vehicle by more than 60 kilometres per hour 24
     
51 Exceeding speed limit on a road by more than 60 kilometres per hour 24
     
52 Reckless or dangerous driving 24
     
  Offender will be prosecuted in court  

What do I do if issued with a warrant of arrest?

If you have settled all your traffic summonses, and would like to find out why there is a warrant of arrest issued against you, you can send an email to: SPF_TP_Summons_Processing@spf.gov.sg or call (65) 6547 0000 to check.

Warrants are typically issued when a person fails to appear in court or is being sought on criminal charges. It is best to consult a criminal lawyer for advice on how to possibly avoid being locked up, and not less importantly, to prepare for your defense.

The Warrant will be handed over to the Warrant Enforcement Unit (a division of the Singapore Police Force) or the respective enforcement agencies for them to execute. The police will either arrest you or you may be asked to surrender yourself at the Warrant Enforcement Unit for the warrant to be executed.

As a condition of the Warrant of Arrest, bail may or may not be offered upon arrest. If no bail is offered, you will be brought to Court within 48 hours of your arrest; if bail is offered, you will be asked to furnish the bail sum before you may be released to attend Court on a specified date. If you are unable to find a bailor, you will be brought to Court within 48 hours of your arrest. In certain cases, you may be disqualified from holding or obtaining a driving licence pending your arrest.

How can I get a charge withdrawn?

If you in fact committed the offence charged against you, there is no way that the charge can be withdrawn completely. However, if you feel that you did not commit the offence, or that the summons was not justifiable, you may make an appeal by writing to the Traffic Police or LTA. 3

Traffic Police appeals

Write to: Chief Investigation Officer, Violation Reports
Investigation Branch, Traffic Police Department,
10 Ubi Avenue 3, Singapore 408865

Email: SPF_TP_Summons_Processing@spf.gov.sg

LTA appeals

Write to: https://vrl.lta.gov.sg/lta/vrl/action/pubfunc?ID=AddAppeal

Can the number of charges against me be reduced?

If you think you have a good reason for committing the offence, you can try to mitigate the offence. Use an *AXS station*](http://www.axs.com.sg/axsStation_locations.php) and answer “Yes” when asked if you want to mitigate the offence. You will be required to attend a court hearing and explain your reasons to the judge. 4

Commonly Asked Questions on Handphone Driving 5

For the offence of handphone driving to stand, ALL the following 3 conditions must be fulfilled:

  1. The vehicle is in motion
  2. The driver is holding on to the handphone with one hand; while his other hand is holding the steering wheel
  3. The driver is communicating with any person with that handphone

Note: If the driver is not holding on to the steering wheel at all, he can be charged for reckless or dangerous driving. Upon conviction, first-time offenders can be fined up to S$3000/-, or jailed for a term up to 12 months, or both. Repeat offenders are liable for a maximum fine of S$5000/-, or to imprisonment for a term up to 2 years, or both. In addition, they may also be disqualified from holding or obtaining a driving licence. This includes making phone calls, paging someone, receiving a call by pressing the keypad, and reading, writing or sending an SMS.

Purpose of the rules: The purpose of setting the three conditions is to ensure that drivers who have no intention to commit handphone driving will not be caught by ambiguous rules. For example, a driver who simply holds a mobile phone but is not using it to communicate while driving will not have committed the offence. However, if by doing so, the driver loses attention on the roads and fails to maintain proper control of his vehicle, he will still have committed an offence of driving without due care or reasonable consideration.

Similarly, the spirit of the law is such that the driver who uses his handphone is only a menace to other road users if his vehicle is moving. Hence, drivers who use their handphones while their vehicles are stationary will not be caught.

In short, Traffic Police do not take action against motorists for handphone driving simply because there is a handphone on the passenger seat or beside the driver. Traffic Police will only take action when our observations show that all the three conditions for the offence of handphone driving are concurrently present.

All handphone driving offenders will be prosecuted in court, regardless of whether the motorist is a first-timer or repeat offender. A first-timer convicted of phone and drive offence shall be liable to 12 demerit points and a maximum fine of up to $1000/- or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or both. He/She may also be disqualified from driving. The offender’s handphone and SIM card will be seized to facilitate investigation. These may be forfeited by the court upon conviction.

Common Scenarios:

Scenario A (Paging for someone): Page for someone, with or without earpiece, using one hand to hold on to the mobile phone while driving.

Scenario B (SMS/MMS message): Writing, Sending, and Reading SMS/MMS messages from someone, with or without earpiece, using one hand to hold on to the mobile phone while driving.

Scenario C (Making a Call): Making a call, with or without earpiece, by pressing the keypads and was holding handphone in one hand while driving.

Scenario D (Receiving a Call): Receiving a call, with or without earpiece, by pressing the keypads and was holding handphone in one hand while driving.

  1. http://www.ecitizen.gov.sg/topics/pages/mobile/topicsdetail.aspx?mpageId=195, last accessed 1 September 2014 ↩

  2. http://driving-in-singapore.spf.gov.sg/services/driving_in_singapore/services/dips.html ↩

  3. http://www.ecitizen.gov.sg/topics/pages/mobile/topicsdetail.aspx?mpageId=195#sthash.ZnwU6pyi.dpuf ↩

  4. http://www.ecitizen.gov.sg/topics/pages/mobile/topicsdetail.aspx?mpageId=195 ↩

  5. This section is extracted from Singapore Police Force website on July 2014 ↩