PUBLISHED ONSeptember 07, 2026 3:31 AMBYKoh Xing YingA female commuter has alleged that a private-hire driver shouted and threatened to make her leave his vehicle after she confronted him over his use of a mobile phone while driving.
A video of the incident was shared by Instagram page Sgfollowsall on Saturday (Sep 5).
According to the woman's account, she was in a ride-hailing car travelling through an underground expressway tunnel when she noticed the driver's phone mounted on the dashboard, with his WhatsApp app open and appearing to be in use.
The woman said she immediately told the driver to focus on driving after seeing him texting.
In the video, the driver can be heard explaining that he had received a message from his daughter.
"My daughter messaged me, can't I just use (my phone) for a while? My daughter asked me, she wants to eat but has no money. Can't I just reply to her?" the driver said.
"You're texting, you are texting while driving," the female passenger countered.
According to the woman's account, the situation escalated, with the driver shouting at her and asking whether she was "too precious to sit in his car".
She further alleged that he told her to get out of the vehicle if she was unhappy, despite the car being inside an underground tunnel.
"As a solo female commuter, being shouted at and threatened with ejection inside an underground tunnel was deeply intimidating," she wrote.
"Trapped in an enclosed vehicle with someone losing his temper at 60-70 km/h, I genuinely feared for my safety, which is why I started recording."
The incident has since drawn mixed reactions in the comments section, with some criticising the driver's decision to use his phone while driving.
"What if he crashes into another vehicle and a life is gone?" said one user. "Uncle clearly in the wrong, even admitted he was replying," another added.
Others, however, debated whether the circumstances justified his actions.
"Not siding with anyone, but sometimes we just need to show a little compassion and understanding. What if you're the driver's daughter and you urgently need money?" one commenter wrote.
On July 7, Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs Sim Ann tabled the Road Traffic (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill in Parliament, proposing several amendments to the law.
Among the key amendments is a stricter rule on mobile phone use while driving.
Previously, authorities had to prove that a driver was actively using their phone. Under the new Bill, simply holding a mobile phone while the vehicle is moving could itself constitute an offence.
However, the amendments do not completely ban mobile phone use in vehicles, with drivers still allowed to use navigation apps, provided their phones are securely mounted on a dashboard or windscreen holder.
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