Statute Details
- Title: Road Traffic (Carriage of Persons in Goods Vehicles — Lion and Dragon Dance) (Exemption) Order 2011
- Act Code: RTA1961-S277-2011
- Legislation Type: Subsidiary Legislation (SL)
- Enacting Formula / Authorising Act: Made in exercise of powers conferred by section 142 of the Road Traffic Act (Chapter 276)
- SL Number: S 277/2011
- Commencement: 1 June 2011 (as indicated by the timeline/version)
- Status: Current version as at 27 Mar 2026
- Citation: Road Traffic (Carriage of Persons in Goods Vehicles — Lion and Dragon Dance) (Exemption) Order 2011
- Key Provision(s): Section 1 (Citation); Section 2 (Exemption and conditions); Schedule (written laws exempted)
What Is This Legislation About?
The Road Traffic (Carriage of Persons in Goods Vehicles — Lion and Dragon Dance) (Exemption) Order 2011 is a targeted exemption made under the Road Traffic Act. In plain terms, it allows certain goods vehicles to carry people who are participating in lion dance or dragon dance activities, even though the general road traffic rules may restrict or regulate the carriage of persons in goods vehicles.
Under Singapore’s road traffic framework, goods vehicles are primarily intended for transporting goods rather than passengers. However, cultural and community events—such as lion and dragon dance performances—often involve participants travelling together to venues, sometimes using goods vehicles. This Order recognises that practical reality and creates a narrow legal pathway for such carriage, but only under specific safety and insurance conditions.
The exemption is not a blanket permission. It is limited to the use of a goods vehicle for the carriage of persons participating in a lion dance or dragon dance, and it is expressly subject to conditions designed to protect passengers. The Order also refers to a Schedule that identifies the “written laws” from which the exemption applies, meaning the exemption operates by disapplying specified legal requirements to the relevant use.
What Are the Key Provisions?
1. Citation (Section 1)
Section 1 provides the short title of the Order. This is standard legislative drafting, but it matters for legal referencing in enforcement actions, submissions, and compliance documentation.
2. Core exemption (Section 2(1))
Section 2(1) sets out the operative rule. It states that, subject to the conditions in Section 2(2), the “written laws set out in the Schedule” shall not apply to the use on any road of any goods vehicle for the carriage of persons participating in a lion dance or a dragon dance.
Practically, this means that where a person is participating in the performance (not merely travelling casually), and the vehicle is being used for that purpose, the usual legal restrictions identified in the Schedule are disapplied. The exemption is therefore functional: it does not change the general law permanently; it temporarily or contextually removes the application of specified provisions for the defined activity.
3. Conditions for the exemption (Section 2(2))
Section 2(2) is the heart of the Order. Even if the activity fits the exemption, the exemption only applies if all conditions are satisfied. The conditions are:
(a) Safe driving having regard to passenger safety (Section 2(2)(a))
The goods vehicle must be driven in a safe manner having regard to the safety of all passengers on the vehicle. This is a broad, safety-oriented standard rather than a purely technical rule. It requires the driver and operator to consider the actual circumstances—such as how passengers are seated or positioned, whether passengers are secured, road conditions, traffic density, and the overall risk profile of the journey.
(b) Speed limit of 15 km/h when carrying persons not in a sitting position (Section 2(2)(b))
The vehicle must not be driven at a speed exceeding 15 km/h when it is carrying any person who is not in a sitting position. This condition is particularly important for lion and dragon dance participants, who may be standing, moving, or otherwise not seated depending on the vehicle configuration and event practices.
From a compliance perspective, this condition creates a measurable threshold. If any passenger is not sitting, the driver must ensure the vehicle speed remains at or below 15 km/h. If the vehicle is configured so that all passengers are sitting, the speed restriction in this specific condition may not be triggered—but the general “safe manner” requirement still applies.
(c) Continuous insurance policy covering death or bodily injury (Section 2(2)(c))
There must be in force at all times when the goods vehicle is used for the exempt purpose a policy of insurance in relation to the vehicle insuring against liability in respect of the death of or bodily injury sustained by any person caused by or arising out of the use of the vehicle.
This condition is legally significant because it links the exemption to risk transfer and victim protection. It requires continuous coverage “at all times” during the exempt use. In practice, this means operators should verify that the insurance policy covers the relevant use case and that there are no lapses, exclusions, or gaps in coverage that could undermine the exemption.
4. The Schedule (written laws exempted)
Although the extract provided does not list the Schedule’s items, the structure indicates that the exemption disapplies certain “written laws” specified in the Schedule. For practitioners, the Schedule is essential: it identifies the exact legal provisions that are not to apply. In advising clients, counsel should obtain the full Schedule text from the official version to confirm which specific restrictions are being lifted.
Because the exemption is expressly limited to “written laws set out in the Schedule,” any compliance advice should be anchored to the Schedule’s scope. If a particular restriction is not included in the Schedule, it may still apply even if the activity is lion/dragon dance related.
5. Making and authority
The Order was made on 30 May 2011 by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transport, and it cites the authorising power under section 142 of the Road Traffic Act. This matters for validity and statutory interpretation: the exemption is grounded in an express delegation to the Minister (or authorised official) to create exemptions under the Act.
How Is This Legislation Structured?
This Order is concise and follows a standard subsidiary legislation format:
Section 1 (Citation) sets out the short title.
Section 2 (Exemption for goods vehicles used in connection with lion dance or dragon dance) contains the operative exemption and the conditions.
The Schedule identifies the “written laws” that are disapplied by the exemption. The Schedule is crucial for determining the precise legal effect.
There are no additional parts or complex sub-sections in the extract, reflecting the Order’s narrow purpose: to create a specific exemption tied to a specific cultural activity and to impose safety and insurance safeguards.
Who Does This Legislation Apply To?
The exemption applies to the use on any road of any goods vehicle for the carriage of persons participating in a lion dance or dragon dance. The practical beneficiaries are typically organisers, transport providers, drivers, and vehicle owners who arrange transport for participants.
Liability and compliance obligations will generally fall on those responsible for the vehicle’s operation and the decision to carry passengers in the relevant manner. Even though the exemption is framed as disapplying certain written laws, the conditions in Section 2(2) create clear behavioural and documentation requirements. If the conditions are not met—particularly the speed restriction when passengers are not sitting, or the requirement for continuous insurance—then the exemption may not apply, and the general road traffic rules may govern.
Why Is This Legislation Important?
This Order is important because it balances two competing policy objectives: (1) enabling culturally significant activities to operate practically, and (2) maintaining road safety and protecting passengers through enforceable conditions.
For practitioners advising event organisers, transport contractors, or vehicle operators, the Order provides a legally recognised framework for carrying participants in goods vehicles. Without such an exemption, the carriage of persons in goods vehicles could trigger offences or regulatory non-compliance under the Road Traffic Act and related subsidiary rules. The exemption therefore reduces legal uncertainty—provided the conditions are strictly observed.
From an enforcement and risk perspective, the conditions are designed to be verifiable and safety-focused. The 15 km/h threshold when passengers are not sitting is a clear operational constraint. The insurance requirement ensures that, even in the event of an accident, there is a policy intended to cover death or bodily injury arising out of the vehicle’s use. The “safe manner” requirement provides a broader standard that can address circumstances not captured by the speed rule alone.
Finally, because the exemption operates by disapplying “written laws set out in the Schedule,” counsel should treat the Schedule as the definitive map of what is exempted. Misunderstanding the Schedule’s coverage could lead to advice that is either too broad (assuming an exemption where none applies) or too narrow (overstating restrictions that are actually disapplied).
Related Legislation
- Road Traffic Act (Chapter 276) — in particular section 142 (authorising the making of exemptions)
- Road Traffic Act subsidiary legislation governing the carriage of persons in goods vehicles (as identified in the Schedule to this Order)
Source Documents
This article provides an overview of the Road Traffic (Carriage of Persons in Goods Vehicles — Lion and Dragon Dance) (Exemption) Order 2011 for legal research and educational purposes. It does not constitute legal advice. Readers should consult the official text for authoritative provisions.