Road Vehicles (Special Powers) Act 1960

Road Vehicles (Special Powers) Act 1960 2020 REVISED EDITION This revised edition incorporates all amendments up to and including 1 December 2021 and comes into operation on 31 December 2021 An Act to give power to restrict the use of, stop and search road vehicles and to provide for the seizure and forfeiture of road vehicles and articles found therein in certain circumstances and matters incidental thereto. [15 February 1960] Short title 1. This Act is the Road Vehicles (Special Powers) Act 1960. Interpretation 2. In this Act — “road” means any public road or any other road, to which the public has access, and includes bridges over which a road passes; “road vehicle” means any vehicle designed or adapted for use on roads; “scheduled offence” means any offence specified in the Schedule. Power to stop and search road vehicles 3.—(1) The person driving, or in control of, any road vehicle in motion must stop the vehicle on being required to do so by any police officer in uniform. (2) If — (a) as respects any road vehicle being on any road; or (b) upon the overtaking of a road vehicle on any occasion on which the person driving, or in control of, the road vehicle has in accordance with subsection (1) been required to stop but has failed to do so, any police officer may search the vehicle and any person found in the vehicle if the police officer suspects on reasonable grounds that there is to be found in the vehicle any article in respect of which a scheduled offence has been or is being committed, or that the vehicle, or a person in, on or near the vehicle, is the target of a special authorisation given under the Public Order and Safety (Special Powers) Act 2018 or that the vehicle is in an area that is the target of the special authorisation. [26/2018] Court to order forfeiture of road vehicle 4.—(1) Where it is proved to the satisfaction of a court that a road vehicle has been used — (a) in the commission of a scheduled offence or that any scheduled offence has been committed in respect of the road vehicle or in respect of any article found in the road vehicle or on any person found in the road vehicle; (b) to convey persons to the scene where a scheduled offence has been committed; or (c) for the escape or to facilitate the escape of any person from the scene of a scheduled offence, and that the road vehicle has been seized by the police, the court is, on the written application of the Attorney-General, to make an order for the forfeiture of the road vehicle, notwithstanding that no person may have been convicted of any scheduled offence. (2) Any police officer may seize any road vehicle liable to forfeiture under the provisions of this Act. (3) An order for the forfeiture or for the release of a road vehicle liable to forfeiture under this section may be made by the court before which the prosecution with regard to the scheduled offence has been held. (4) If there be no prosecution with regard to any scheduled offence, the road vehicle seized under subsection (2) must be forfeited at the expiry of one month from the date of seizure unless a claim to the road vehicle is made before that date. Any person asserting that the person is the owner of that road vehicle may personally or by that person’s agent authorised in writing give written notice to the Commissioner of Police that the person claims the road vehicle. (5) Upon receipt of a notice under subsection (4), the Commissioner of Police may direct that the road vehicle be released or may refer the matter by information to a Magistrate. (6) The Magistrate on receipt of an information under subsection (5) or on the written application of the Attorney‑General, is to hold an inquiry and proceed to the examination of the matter and on proof that the road vehicle was used — (a) in the commission of a scheduled offence or that any scheduled offence has been committed in respect of the road vehicle or any article found in the road vehicle or on any person found in the road vehicle; (b) to convey persons to the scene where a scheduled offence has been committed; or (c) for the escape or to facilitate the escape of any person from the scene of a scheduled offence, is to order the road vehicle to be forfeited or may in the absence of such proof order its release. (7) A person is not, in any proceedings in any court in respect of the seizure of any road vehicle seized in exercise or the purported exercise of any power conferred under this Act, entitled to the costs of the proceedings or to any damages or other relief other than an order for the return of the road vehicle, unless such seizure was made without reasonable or probable cause. (8) Despite subsections (1) and (6), a court need not make an order for the forfeiture of a road vehicle that has been seized by the police if it is proved to the satisfaction of the court that the person who committed the scheduled offence involving the road vehicle — (a) is not the owner of the road vehicle; and (b) had used the road vehicle without the consent of the owner. [Act 5 of 2026 wef 14/04/2026] Duty to furnish particulars of person in control of road vehicle 5.—(1) When it is alleged or suspected that a road vehicle has been used in the commission of a scheduled offence or that any scheduled offence has been committed in respect of any road vehicle or any article found in any road vehicle or on any person found in any road vehicle, or that a road vehicle has been used to convey persons to the scene where a scheduled offence has been committed, or that a road vehicle has been used for the escape or to facilitate the escape of any person from the scene of a scheduled offence — (a) the owner of the road vehicle must give any information that may be required by any police officer as to the identity and the address, driving licence number and identity card number of the person who was in control of or driving the road vehicle on any specified occasion; and (b) any other person who was or should have been in control of that road vehicle must if required as aforesaid give any information which is in that person’s power to give and which may lead to the identification of the driver. (2) When a special authorisation under the Public Order and Safety (Special Powers) Act 2018 has effect and it is reasonably suspected by a police officer that a road vehicle, or a person in, on or near the vehicle, is the target of the special authorisation or that any dangerous article, offensive weapon or subversive document (within the meaning of that Act) may be found in any road vehicle or on any person found in, on or near the vehicle — (a) the owner of the road vehicle must give any information required by the police officer as to the identity and the address, driving licence number and identity card number of the person who was in control of or driving the road vehicle on any specified occasion; and (b) any other person who was or should have been in control of that road vehicle must, if required by the police officer, give any information which is in the person’s power to give and which may lead to the identification of the driver. [26/2018] (3) No person shall be held to be guilty of a contravention of subsection (1) or (2) if the person satisfies the court — (a) that the person did not know and could not with reasonable diligence have ascertained the information required; or (b) that owing to circumstances over which the person had no control, it was impossible for the person to give, before the date on which the person was charged with such contravention, the information required of the person. [26/2018] (4) Notwithstanding anything in any other written law, any information given under this section by any person charged with any offence under this Act or with any scheduled offence may be used in evidence at the hearing of the charge. Penalty 6.—(1) Any person who contravenes or fails to comply with the provisions of this Act (except section 5(2)) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $1,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or to both. [26/2018] (2) Any person who contravenes or fails to comply with section 5(2) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $20,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years or to both. [26/2018] Amendment of Schedule 7. The Minister may, by order in the Gazette, amend the Schedule. [Act 5 of 2026 wef 14/04/2026]