SINGAPORE: The Land Transport Authority (LTA) has clarified that a waiting vehicle may be considered parked even when the driver is present and the engine is running.
The clarification follows a Facebook post on 4 August by former Non-Constituency Member of Parliament Yee Jenn Jong.
The Workers’ Party veteran described being fined after briefly stopping with hazard lights switched on.
In one incident, Yee waited along Joo Chiat Road for a roadside parking lot to be vacated, remaining in his car with the engine running.
He recounted pulling over near a cluster of lots, believing someone was returning to their vehicle.
After several minutes without movement, he drove forward to another cluster where he thought another driver was leaving. Shortly afterwards, he secured a lot.
Despite never leaving his vehicle, Yee later received a summons by mail for parking along a double yellow line, with the offence recorded by a video camera.
“I never left my car, had my hazard signal on and was waiting to park. Two appeals later, I gave up and paid the fine today,” Yee wrote.
In a separate case, around 6:30 am at Eunos Crescent, Yee stopped briefly to unload food items for community distribution.
He said the road was clear, and the stop was quick, but a warning was still issued through camera surveillance.
Yee expressed concern that “stopping too long to unload or to get a parking lot will get a fine through the cameras.”
Following these posts, The Online Citizen contacted LTA for clarification on enforcement policies.
Questions were raised about how LTA differentiates between illegal parking and short-term waiting, whether grace periods apply, and if stricter enforcement areas are signposted.
In a 12 August email response, LTA said: “Parking refers to stopping a vehicle other than immediately picking up or dropping off passengers, goods or luggage. ”
“A waiting vehicle is considered parked even if the driver is present or the engine is running. ”
This definition aligns with the description on the One Motoring website.
Penalties for illegal parking include fines and demerit points, with fines increasing by S$20 if not paid by the first deadline and potentially rising further if the case goes to court.
Repeat offenders, defined as receiving two or more notices within 12 months, face fines up to 60% higher.
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