Jail for bus driver who caused accident where passenger's spectacles pierced her eye

SINGAPORE: A passenger on a bus was left in pain and unable to see after the impact from a bus collision pierced her spectacles into her right eye, which leaked a "jelly-like substance".

Three years later, the 67-year-old woman continues to suffer from sub-optimal vision in the injured eye, with permanent damage to her optic nerve.

The bus driver, now retired, was on Monday (Feb 28) sentenced to four days' jail and banned from driving for 18 months for causing the 2018 accident. He had pleaded guilty to one charge of causing grievous hurt by a negligent act.

The court heard that Phee Peng Yeow, 69, was the driver of a bus providing shuttle services to and from the Singapore General Hospital (SGH).

He was driving the shuttle bus in the afternoon of Jan 23, 2018 when the victim boarded. She sat in the passenger seat just behind the driver's seat.

THE ACCIDENT

The accident happened while Phee was driving behind another bus along Outram Road, near the bus stop close to the Health Sciences Authority mortuary.

The weather at the time was fine, with a dry road surface, clear visibility and moderate traffic flow, according to court documents.

The other bus was going at a slow speed because there were road works, and it was approaching a pedestrian crossing that was showing a green light at the time.

Phee did not maintain a safe braking distance when driving the shuttle bus, failed to keep a proper lookout ahead and collided into the rear of the bus in front of him.

Shortly before the collision, the victim had unbuckled her seatbelt as she was preparing to alight at the bus stop.

The impact flung the victim forward from her seat. Her head and the spectacles she was wearing hit a metal railing, which caused the nose bridge pads of her spectacles to pierce into her right eye.

"She was unable to see with her right eye. The victim felt liquid and jelly-like substance dripping from her right eye. She was also bleeding from the right eye and screamed for help," stated court documents.

Phee alighted the bus immediately after the collision to exchange contact information with the other bus driver.

He returned to the bus shortly after, and the victim asked him to send her to the hospital. He drove her to SGH's accident and emergency department.

Phee and the other bus driver both lodged a police report on Jan 23, 2018, the day of the accident. The victim lodged her police report in September 2020.

109 DAYS OF MEDICAL LEAVE

The victim suffered numerous injuries to her right eye, according to medical reports.

She underwent four surgeries between the day of the accident and April 2019 and received a total of 109 days of hospitalisation and medical leave, said the prosecution.

Her injuries included bleeding in the front of her eye with "rupture of the penetrating keratoplasty", or cornea graft. There was a splitting open of the wound and the iris suffered "vitreous prolapse".

Uveal tissue from inside her eyeball could be seen, with the vitreous leaking out of her eye.

There was displacement of the eyeball towards the back of the eye socket as well as contour deformity and volume loss. There was also "hyperdense substance layering" at the back of the right eyeball.

PERMANENT OPTIC NERVE DAMAGE

After the surgeries, the victim's vision and eye recovered gradually and the cornea graft was repaired.

However, she still suffers from sub-optimal vision in her right eye and requires regular management and follow-up. She also needs daily eyedrops to control her intraocular pressure and prevent graft rejection.

The victim had a dislocated intraocular lens and persistent vitreous haemorrhage. She also suffered from raised intraocular pressure that was "unresponsive to maximum medical treatment", according to court documents.

In addition, the optic nerve damage from glaucoma from her trauma is permanent. The cornea graft in her right eye was also slightly swollen with fluid, according to a follow-up in January 2021.

Deputy Public Prosecutor R Arvindren sought one week's jail and a two-year ban from driving.

He said Phee should have put greater care into driving, highlighting that the accident took place near a hospital when passengers were on board. The bus was also a heavier vehicle that required a quicker reaction time.

However, he also took into account Phee's good driving record and the fact that he had stopped to exchange contact information with the other driver and also sent the victim to the hospital.

Defence lawyer Ivan Tay asked for a S$5,000 fine and an 18-month driving ban, with no jail time.

Mr Tay said that Phee showed a "high level of responsibility and civic mindedness" after the accident.

He cited the fact that Phee lodged an incident report with his employer and a police report over the accident. After sending the victim to the hospital, he also visited her the next day.

District Judge Eddy Tham said that Phee ought to have exercised greater care when bearing passengers around the hospital, knowing that sudden impact could cause them to lose their balance and sustain injuries.