Motorists who jump the queue face U-turns, bans at checkpoints

Traffic Expected to Be Very Heavy at Both Land Checkpoints During School Holidays

- Samuel Devaraj and Stacey Ngiam

Drivers might think they are saving precious minutes when jumping queues at the Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints. But when they get stopped by Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers, they will face having to make a U-turn and rejoin the queue.

They could also be blacklisted and face further disciplinary action from the authorities. The June school holidays have begun and traffic is expected to be heavy at both land checkpoints.

To ensure a smooth travelling experience, ICA has reminded motorists about proper road etiquette. Speaking to reporters via a virtual interview on May 28, Inspector Mardiana Masdar, 43, team leader at the Integrated Operations Centre at Woodlands Checkpoint, said queue-jumping increases during peak hours when the traffic tailback is very bad.

It is an issue ICA officers take very seriously, she added. Insp Mardiana said ground officers who spot vehicles jumping queues will alert the team at the operations centre, who will relay this information to traffic controllers near the checkpoint to direct them to make a U-turn to rejoin the queue.

She said: "If they are non-compliant, we will refer them to our Secondary Office, where we are able to show them CCTV footage of them cutting queues."