Having started on my motorcycle course and hanging out in the motorcycle forums, I had encountered a few threads about concerns of motorcyclists. Apparently these should be concerns of all road users, but they have never been forefront in my mind before as a driver or a cyclists. Of course, all this information is only relevant to Singapore.

Injury Accidents

I found this link about when and how an accident will be classified as an injury accident. The main reason is this, an accident with an injury has to be reported to the police, while a non-injury accident need only be reported to one’s insurance company.

http://driving-in-singapore.spf.gov….q.htm#accident

Generally speaking, if one party is sent to the hospital in an ambulance from the accident site, and secondly if one of the parties get a 3 days or more medical leave from work.

There are subtle things at work here, because by calling an ambulance to an accident site, there is a very high chance that a traffic policeman will arrive as well. If a party believes that he would be in favour when the responsibilities for an accident is handed out, he might well want the traffic police to assess the site and write a report in his favour. The truth is, there are always two sides to every traffic accident, and often both reports are poles apart. That ends up with a 50:50 split of insurance claims.

So the funny business begins, drivers might complain about a whiplash and request an ambulance. While after visiting your vehicle workshop, some people might advise you to see a doctor to get a 3 day medical certificate. There are positives about this, motorists who know the law and their rights will less likely be bullied by other motorists.

Motor Insurance

One of the motorists in the forum encountered a situation where he had reported his accident to his insurance company, while the other party had not, and the other party’s insurance company has a policy of not processing claims if their insuree has not reported it. In theory that seems to be a good idea, but it opens up a huge can of worms. People would be thinking, no one can claim from me if I never report it to the insurance company.

http://www.getformesingapore.com/Inf…_accidents.htm

“Motorists are advised to report the accident to their insurers as soon as possible. If one of the drivers does not report to his insurer and the latter comes to know of a claim by the other party involved in the accident, the insurer has to contact the insured and request him to lodge a report. If the assured still refuses to lodge a report with the insurance company, the matter will be referred to the police.”

It appears that the insurance company has the responsibility to get the insuree to file a report, but it is not in the interest of the insurance company for that to happen, because they would end up having to settle the claim. There is a conflict of interest in this matter.

When is a traffic offense a crime?

Some guy was worried that he might get a criminal record for being brought to court for a rather serious traffic offense. From a quick reading of the Singapore Penal Code, I believe there are only very few circumstances of that happening.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singapore_Penal_Code

Causing death by rash or negligent act. This seems to be the most common circumstance, if someone is killed in a traffic accident, the responsible party might be charged under this.

Contempt of the Authority of a Public Servant. This charge might be placed if the motorists commits contempt of court by refusing to submit to its ruling. Might also involve situations with law enforcers.

False Evidence and Offences Against Public Justice. Pejury, essentially. Lying to the police and the court about an accident situation.

Passing on

For all my years of driving and cycling, I have never thought about dying on the roads, but apparently it is a situation familiar to motorcyclists. They see their friends passing on, and they worry about their loved ones. I found a few links about how one’s assets would be distributed upon one’s death. Since I have not got too much assets nor any dependants at the moment, I have not put much thought into this. I must in the future however.

http://statutes.agc.gov.sg/non_versi…st&method=part

The Intestate Succession states how my assets will be distributed to my remaining dependants and family if I do not have a will. There are plenty of lawyers happy to show me how to write my will. This Act does not apply to Muslims.

http://www.lawsociety.org.sg/awareness/faraid.htm

Muslims are covered by the Faraid or Muslim Inheritance Law.

http://www.lawsociety.org.sg/awarene…ing_a_will.htm

Here is some guidelines to drafting a will. Also has specifics pertaining to Muslims.

http://www.iras.gov.sg/irasHome/page03.aspx?id=1186

How Estate Duty is calculated to one’s assets, might be scrapped soon though.