Truck was carrying Afghan families returning Pakistan when it overturned, official says

A truck overturned in eastern Afghanistan on Saturday, killing 18 people on board including 10 children, a provincial official told Agence France-Presse.

Deadly traffic crashes are common in Afghanistan, due in part to poor roads after decades of conflict, dangerous driving and a lack of regulation.

KUALA LUMPUR, June 2 — Transport Minister Anthony Loke has urged police to expedite investigations into the Simpang Renggam crash that killed five people, so the case can be referred to the Attorney General’s Chambers without delay, and for firm action to be taken against those responsible.

“I hope the police can speed up investigations so that the investigation papers can be referred to the Attorney General’s Chambers as soon as possible. Appropriate and firm prosecution action must be taken against those responsible,” he said.

In a statement today, Loke described the incident as a tragedy that should not have happened and extended his condolences to the victims’ families.

“This is a tragedy that should not have happened. I extend my deepest condolences to the families of the victims over this heartbreaking loss,” he said.

He said reckless driving was entirely unacceptable and reflected a serious failure of responsibility on the road.

“Such driving behaviour is extremely irresponsible and completely unacceptable,” he said.

Loke also stressed that road safety is a shared responsibility among all road users, warning that a driving licence is not a licence to drive recklessly.

“Road safety is a shared responsibility among all road users. A driving licence is not a licence to drive recklessly and cause tragedy to innocent lives,” he said.

The crash in Simpang Renggam yesterday involved multiple vehicles and claimed five lives, including four members of a single family.

SINGAPORE: Singapore detected 1,918 speeding violations in school zones during the first three months of 2026, following the rollout of stricter speed limits that now apply throughout the day.

The number offers an early look at how motorists are responding to one of Singapore’s latest road safety measures, aimed at protecting children around primary schools.

The figures, covering Jan 1 to Mar 31, were released by the Singapore Police Force (SPF) in response to queries from Channel NewsAsia (CNA), which first reported the data on May 28, 2026.

School zone speed limits now apply all day

Before 2026, the 40 km/h speed limit in school zones was enforced mainly during peak school periods, such as arrival and dismissal times, until it changed on Jan 1, when the Land Transport Authority (LTA) extended the lower speed limit to all hours of the day.

LTA had announced the change in 2025, saying school activities and schedules had become more varied. Students may now be on campus outside traditional school hours for enrichment programmes, sports training and other activities.

The agency also said the change would create a safer environment for children, regardless of when they were near school grounds.

Authorities want safer vehicle driving habits

According to SPF, the expanded enforcement is part of the effort to encourage safer vehicle driving behaviour. Police said school zones are areas where children move about and are among the most vulnerable road users. The purpose is to reduce accident risks by encouraging motorists to slow down and comply with the enhanced safety measures.

Rather than focusing only on peak school periods, authorities are treating school zones as sensitive areas at all times. Motorists would need to adjust habits formed over many years, particularly those accustomed to accelerating once traditional school hours end.

Heavier penalties for school zone traffic offenders

Drivers caught speeding in enhanced school zones face stronger penalties than before. The tougher regime also applies to silver zones, which are roads designed with senior citizens in mind.

Offenders receive two additional demerit points in addition to the standard speeding penalties. They also face an extra S$100 fine. SPF urged motorists to obey speed limits and drive responsibly to keep roads safe for all road users.

Slowing down can make a difference between a close call and a tragedy

While Singapore’s roads remain among the safest in the region, the nearly 2,000 offences recorded in just three months at the start of the year suggest that many drivers are still adapting to the new rules.

Road safety campaigns focus on major accidents, but enforcement figures tell a different story. They show everyday behaviour behind the wheel and whether motorists are paying attention to changes designed to protect vulnerable groups.

For parents, the all-day limit may provide added reassurance that children remain protected even when school activities extend beyond standard classroom hours. For drivers, school zones are no longer slow-driving areas only at certain times of the day. The 40 km/h limit now applies around the clock.

Slowing down for a few extra seconds may feel inconvenient, but around schools and senior-friendly zones, those seconds can make a significant difference between a close call and a tragedy.

This article (SPF: 1,918 speeding violations at Singapore school zones in Q1 2026 under new stricter rules) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

SINGAPORE: A 17-year-old is set to face court after a police chase that ended with six vehicles damaged, two people injured, and a long list of alleged traffic offences spanning three separate incidents.

The teenager will be charged in court after allegedly driving at speeds of up to 174km/h on the East Coast Parkway (ECP), running red lights, crashing into multiple vehicles, and fleeing from police.

According to the Singapore Police Force (SPF), the teenager is linked to three separate traffic-related incidents between January 2025 and January 2026.

He faces several charges, including dangerous driving causing hurt, driving while underage, using deregistered vehicles and displaying false licence plates. Investigators also say it wasn’t an isolated incident.

The police chase ended with six vehicles damaged

The most serious incident took place on Jan 16, 2026, at about 10.50 pm. SPF said Traffic Police officers were patrolling along Paya Lebar Road when the driver sped away after spotting them, triggering a pursuit.

Investigations found that the teenager allegedly drove at extreme speeds, reaching 174 km/h on the ECP, where the speed limit is 90 km/h.

Police said he also drove at 96km/h along Guillemard Road, where the speed limit is 40km/h. During the chase, he allegedly beat multiple red lights and drove against traffic along roads including Ubi Avenue 2 and Lorong 28 Geylang.

The pursuit ended after the vehicle collided with several stationary cars. Five vehicles were hit before the car crashed into a sixth vehicle at the junction of Marine Parade Road and Still Road South. The driver of that vehicle and his 15-year-old passenger suffered injuries. SPF said the teenager then ran off on foot after the crash, but was later arrested by Traffic Police officers.

Fake plates and deregistered vehicles

Investigations uncovered additional alleged offences. Police said the car used during the chase was a deregistered vehicle fitted with a false licence plate. Officers also found a vaporiser and a pod inside the vehicle. The Health Sciences Authority investigated the matter but took no further action due to insufficient evidence.

Singapore Police Force (SPF)

Deregistered vehicle driven by the male teenager in the Jan 16, 2026 incident

The teenager is accused of offences including driving without a valid licence, using an uninsured vehicle, failing to stop after accidents, failing to assist injured parties, ignoring police orders to stop and providing false information to authorities.

He took his grandmother’s car without her knowledge

The Jan 16 chase wasn’t the first time the teenager had allegedly been caught behind the wheel. In January 2025, he allegedly took his grandmother’s car without her knowledge after finding the ignition key inside the unlocked vehicle. Police said he drove the car for about an hour before returning it. His grandmother later reported the vehicle missing.

In another incident on Jan 8, 2026, police checks at the Marina Bay Sands Convention Centre carpark led officers to discover that he had allegedly driven a different deregistered vehicle fitted with a false licence plate from Haig Road to the area.

Both incidents have resulted in additional charges, including driving while underage, using uninsured vehicles, taking a vehicle without the owner’s consent and using deregistered vehicles.

Motorists who commit such serious traffic offences will face firm enforcement action

Singapore’s roads are heavily regulated, and cases involving underage drivers are relatively uncommon. What makes this case unusual is the combination of alleged offences across multiple incidents within a short period.

High-speed pursuits, fake licence plates and deregistered vehicles pose risks to drivers, passengers, pedestrians and other road users, who have no warning of the surrounding danger. SPF said motorists who commit such serious traffic offences, including not having valid licences or using deregistered vehicles, will face firm enforcement action.

The police also urged members of the public to report suspected illegal activity and reminded road users that keeping roads safe is a shared responsibility.

Driving is a responsibility, not a thrill

The allegations in this case read like a list of what road users are told never to do: speeding, ignoring traffic lights, driving without a licence and fleeing after crashes.

Most people reach home safely each day because everyone follows the same rules, but when these rules are ignored, innocent motorists end up paying the price. Cases like this are why road safety laws exist in the first place.

This article (SPF: 17-year-old who drove at 174 kmh on ECP to be charged over multiple traffic offences, including dangerous driving and fake licence plates) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.