Lorry driver jailed for causing crane boom to hit overhead bridge

A lorry driver who caused a crane boom on his heavy vehicle to hit an overhead bridge along Pan Island Expressway (PIE) has been sentenced to a week's jail and banned from driving for nine months.

Li Qiang, a 40-year old Singapore permanent resident, did not retract the crane on his lorry and caused it to hit the 4.5-metre tall bridge. His act of negligence has caused two parts of the boom to fall off - one landed beside a car and the other went through its windscreen, shattering it and stopping just inches away from an infant in a child seat at the back row of the car.

The baby's father fainted after seeing that his child was fine. His wife was seated beside him during the accident. The family was then taken to the hospital.

Mr. Neo, the driver of the passenger car, was warded for four days and given 18 days of medical leave. The baby suffered slight bruises to his left knee.

It was fortunate that no further harm was caused by the accident. Li could have been fined a maximum of $5,000 or given a jail term of up to two years.