SINGAPORE - An Uber car crashed into a tree along Xilin Avenue on Sunday (July 9) morning, killing its backseat passenger.

The Straits Times understands that the car, a Toyota Vios, had skidded before hitting the tree. The 22-year-old driver, who was not injured, has been arrested for causing death by a negligent act.

The accident took place on the slip road into East Coast Parkway, in the direction of the Marina Coastal Expressway, at about 7.30am.

According to the Singapore Civil Defence Force, the 31-year-old male passenger was found lying motionless and pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics.

Lianhe Wanbao reported that the victim suffered a fractured skull, and that the road was wet after a heavy downpour in the morning.

Police investigations are ongoing, said a police spokesman.

In response to queries from The Straits Times, a spokesman for Uber said:"We are extremely saddened to hear about this tragic accident. Our thoughts are with all the deceased’s family at this time. We are doing what we can to support them and stand ready to cooperate with the authorities in their investigations.”

This is believed to be the third fatality involving an Uber car in Singapore.



Police have arrested the driver of the Uber vehicle for causing death by a negligent act. PHOTO: LIANHE WANBAO



On Feb 10, a 23-year-old Uber driver was jailed six weeks and banned from driving for five years for causing his teenage passenger's death and injuring a van driver in an accident along Seletar Expressway in September last year.

The second case saw a 62-year-old driver fined $7,000 and banned from driving for five years on March 29. He had failed to keep a lookout and hit a woman at a pedestrian crossing in Hougang in November last year.