Road Traffic Act
(Chapter 276, Section 35A(2))
Road Traffic (New Drivers) Rules
R 32
REVISED EDITION 1990
(25th March 1992)
[27th April 1990]
Citation
1.  These Rules may be cited as the Road Traffic (New Drivers) Rules.
Definitions
2.  In these Rules, unless the context otherwise requires —
“demerit points” means the demerit points awarded to the holder of a driving licence under the Road Traffic (Driver Improvement Points System) Rules;
[R 25.]
“driving licence” means a licence to drive a vehicle granted under Part II of the Act;
“new driver” means a person who has held a driving licence under section 36(1) or (2) of the Act for less than one year from the date of the grant of the licence to him;
“new SAF driver” means a member of the Singapore Armed Forces who has been in possession of a certificate or document referred to in section 49 of the Act for less than one year from the date of the issue to him of the certificate or document;
“period of probation”  —
(a)in relation to a new driver, means the period of one year commencing from the date of the grant of the driving licence to him; and
(b)in relation to a new SAF driver , means the period of one year commencing from the date of the issue to him of the certificate or document referred to in section 49 of the Act.
Revocation of driving licence
3.—(1)  For the purpose of section 35A(1) of the Act, a Deputy Commissioner of Police may revoke the driving licence of a new driver who has been awarded with 13 or more demerit points within a period of 12 months from the date of the grant of the licence to him, where the licence is granted on or after 2nd April 1990.
(2)  A Deputy Commissioner of Police shall, by notice in writing, inform any new driver of the provision of paragraph (1) where the driver has already been awarded a total of not less than 6 demerit points.
(3)  A Deputy Commissioner of Police shall, before revoking the driving licence of a new driver under paragraph (1), notify him by notice in writing of the date on which his driving licence shall be revoked and the Deputy Commissioner shall require him to show cause within 14 days from the date of the notice as to why his licence should not be revoked.
(4)  On the date specified in the notice, the Deputy Commissioner of Police shall, after taking into consideration the facts in mitigation, if any, which may be submitted by the new driver concerned, make an order as the Deputy Commissioner of Police thinks fit.
Driver to be notified of revocation of his licence
4.  A Deputy Commissioner of Police shall, upon making an order to revoke the driving licence of a new driver, notify him in writing of the revocation and shall require him forthwith to surrender the driving licence to him.
New drivers and new SAF drivers to display distinguishing mark during probation period
5.—(1)  Every —
(a)new driver who has been granted a driving licence to drive a Class 2B or Class 3 motor vehicle; and
(b)new SAF driver who has been issued with a certificate or document referred to in section 49 of the Act authorising him to drive a Class 2B or Class 3 motor vehicle,
and who, on or after 1st September 1994, has not completed or commences (as the case may be) his period of probation, shall, while the motor vehicle is being ridden or driven by him during his period of probation, display clearly and conspicuously in the manner specified in paragraph (2) a distinguishing mark in the form set out in the Schedule.
(2)  A distinguishing mark shall be securely affixed —
(a)in the case of a Class 2B motor vehicle —
(i)directly above or below the headlamp; and
(ii)directly above or below the rear licence plate;
(b)in the case of a Class 3 motor vehicle which is constructed with a front windscreen and a rear windscreen —
(i)at the top right portion of the front windscreen; and
(ii)at the top right portion of the rear windscreen,
as seen from the outside of the vehicle;
(c)in the case of a Class 3 motor vehicle which is constructed with a front windscreen but without a rear windscreen —
(i)at the top right portion of the front windscreen as seen from the outside of the vehicle; and
(ii)at the bottom right portion of the rear of the vehicle as seen from the rear of the vehicle or if this is not possible by virtue of the construction of the vehicle, at any other part of the rear of the vehicle, except that the distinguishing mark shall not be placed such that it should obstruct any rear lamp of the vehicle or any other mark which, by virtue of the Act or any rules or regulations made thereunder, is required to be displayed at the rear of the vehicle; and
(d)in the case of a Class 3 motor vehicle which is constructed without any windscreen at all —
(i)at the bottom right portion of the front of the vehicle as seen from the front of the vehicle or if this is not possible by virtue of the construction of the vehicle, at any other part of the front of the vehicle; and
(ii)at the bottom right portion of the rear of the vehicle as seen from the rear of the vehicle or if this is not possible by virtue of the construction of the vehicle, at any other part of the rear of the vehicle,
except that the distinguishing mark shall not be placed such that it should obstruct any headlamp or rear lamp of the vehicle or any other mark which, by virtue of the Act or any rules or regulations made thereunder, is required to be displayed at the front or rear of the vehicle.
(3)  This rule shall not apply to any new driver who —
(a)has been granted a licence under section 36(2) of the Act; and
(b)for a period of one year or longer has held a driver’s certificate or licence issued by the competent authority in any country authorising him to drive motor vehicles of the class or description which he would be authorised to drive by the licence applied for.
(4)  Any person who fails to comply with paragraph (1) shall be guilty of an offence.
(5)  Where a new driver or a new SAF driver to whom this rule applies has, on two or more occasions, been convicted of an offence under this rule or been permitted to compound such an offence, the Deputy Commissioner of Police may —
(a)in the case of a new driver, revoke his driving licence; and
(b)in the case of a new SAF driver, recommend to the competent authority of the Singapore Armed Forces that the certificate or document referred to in section 49 of the Act which was issued to him by the competent authority be revoked.
(6)  Sections 35B and 35C of the Act shall apply mutatis mutandis in respect of the revocation of a new driver’s driving licence under paragraph (5)(a), and —
(a)any reference in those sections to section 35A of the Act shall be read as a reference to rule 5(a) of this rule; and
(b)any reference in section 35C(3) and (4) of the Act to a motor vehicle shall be read as a reference to a Class 2B or Class 3 motor vehicle.