Who's at fault? Motorcyclist hit by car while changing lanes along Lavender Street
A clip of a motorcyclist being rear-ended by a car while changing lanes has sparked a spirited online debate about who was at fault for the accident.
The clip, recorded by the rear-view camera of a vehicle in front of the car and motorcycle, was shared on Facebook page SGRV on Jan 7. The accident happened on the same day at 8.18am at Lavender Street, just after the Haji Kadir restaurant.
The rider of a Singapore-registered motorcycle can be seen easing into the third lane from the second of a four-lane road. He then moves slowly into the fourth lane and into the path of an oncoming car, which crashes into him.
The rider is then seen at the side of the road next to the kerb, attempting to get up while the car that hit him remains stationary a short distance behind him.
The video has so far received 370,000 views, 2,000 reactions and 768 comments.
'Last minute change lane never check blindspot'
In response to queries, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) told Stomp that they were alerted to a road traffic accident along Lavender Street at around 8.30am on Jan 7. One person was conveyed to Raffles Hospital.
According to the police, a 37-year-old male motorcyclist was conveyed conscious to hospital. A 64-year-old male driver is assisting with investigations, which are ongoing.
The majority of commenters felt the rider should have checked that it was safe before switching lanes. "Nowadays don't need to check for oncoming cars or blindspots ah?" said one.
Several did think the driver was going too fast. "The car will always be in the wrong under the code ... I think if the car is slower, [sic] could have jam brake [sic] in time," said a Facebook user.
Others felt that both parties had to share the blame. "Motorcyclist didn't check carefully before and during changing of lane, car seemed to be too fast and did not drive defensively," said a netizen.
Some were more concerned about the rider's well-being, and wondered if he was perhaps coming off a night shift. "Hopefully no serious head injuries ... hope the rider is ok and a speedy recovery for him," said a commenter.
Editor's note: This story has been updated with a police statement.
