SINGAPORE — A two-vehicle crash in Ang Mo Kio has triggered a police investigation into suspected drug-impaired driving after a 33-year-old man was arrested and a vaporiser and pod were found in his possession.
The accident happened at about 1:45 a.m. on Sept. 22 along Ang Mo Kio Avenue 5 toward Buangkok Green, involving the man’s car and a taxi, according to the Singapore Police Force.
The driver was subsequently arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of drugs. Police said the vaporiser and pod seized from him have been referred to Singapore’s Health Sciences Authority (HSA) for investigation.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force said two people were assessed for injuries following the collision, but both declined transport to hospital.
Images circulating online showed a black car left across two lanes, with its front end badly damaged, airbags deployed and debris scattered across the road. The images provide a picture of the aftermath but do not establish how the collision occurred or whether drugs contributed to it.
Drug-driving allegation remains under investigation
The arrest does not mean the driver has been convicted. Police investigations are continuing, and the circumstances surrounding the suspected drug-driving offence have not been fully disclosed.
Under Singapore law, a person convicted for driving under the influence of drugs as a first-time offender can face up to one year in prison, a fine of up to S$10,000, or both. Repeat offenders can face up to two years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to S$20,000, along with disqualification from driving.
The vape-related matter is being handled separately by HSA. The discovery of a vaporiser and pod does not by itself establish what substances, if any, were involved in the suspected drug-driving case.
Why the case comes amid growing concern over drug-related road crashes
The Ang Mo Kio incident comes against a backdrop of increased attention on drug-impaired driving in Singapore.
According to figures reported by The Straits Times, 38 traffic accidents involving drugs or etomidate were recorded between 2023 and 2025. Nineteen of those incidents resulted in deaths. Nine fatal cases involved etomidate, an anaesthetic that has been used in some e-vaporisers, while the other 10 involved drugs without etomidate.
The broader road-safety picture has also drawn attention. Singapore recorded 149 traffic deaths in 2025, the highest annual total in a decade, compared with 142 deaths in 2024. The number of people injured in traffic accidents also increased from 9,342 in 2024 to 9,955 in 2025.
A separate September case illustrates the authorities’ continuing scrutiny of suspected drug-impaired driving. On Sept. 12, a 31-year-old driver was arrested after a collision in Rochor involving a car, a bus and a power-assisted bicycle. Police said a vaporiser was found in his possession and that the driver was arrested for suspected drug-driving. Two people were taken to hospital, while several other bus passengers reported minor injuries.
Singapore’s tougher approach to vaping
The Ang Mo Kio investigation also comes as Singapore has intensified enforcement against vaping and substances associated with illicit e-vaporiser use.
In 2025, the government announced a tougher approach to vaping, including stronger enforcement and penalties. Authorities have particularly focused on e-vaporisers containing etomidate, which has been at the centre of Singapore’s recent public-health and enforcement concerns.
The distinction is important in this case: police have confirmed the seizure of a vaporiser and pod, but they have not publicly stated that the items contained etomidate or that etomidate caused the suspected impairment. Those questions remain subject to investigation.
For now, the Ang Mo Kio crash remains an active police case, with the suspected drug-driving allegation and separate vape-related matter still being investigated.
WWC ONE MEDIA G,A
