A passenger boarding an Uber car at Bishan Junction 8. Private-hire operators cannot pick up street-hailing customers, who make up 80 percent of cab trips.
Under the Motor Vehicles (Third-Party Risks and Compensation) Act, all motor vehicles, including private-hire cars, are required to be insured against third-party liability risks, which include death and bodily injury to passengers (“Still hazy over insurance for private-hire rides” by Mr Benny Tan Cheng Kiat).
This means that passengers in a private-hire car that is involved in a motor accident can claim compensation from the owner of the private-hire car or its insurer.
Those convicted of using or permitting a person to use a vehicle in Singapore without the appropriate insurance are liable to a fine not exceeding $1000, or imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months, or both.
The driver will also be disqualified from holding or obtaining a driving licence for 12 months from the date of conviction.
Leow Yew Chin
Director
Public Transport Promotion and Services
Land Transport Authority
