Statute Details
- Title: Road Traffic (Carriage of Persons in Goods Vehicles — Lion and Dragon Dance) (Exemption) Order 2011
- Act Code: RTA1961-S277-2011
- Type: Subsidiary Legislation (SL)
- Enacting / Authorising Act: Road Traffic Act (Chapter 276), section 142
- Legislative Citation: SL 277/2011
- Commencement: 1 June 2011 (per the timeline)
- Status: Current version as at 27 March 2026
- Key Provisions: Section 1 (Citation); Section 2 (Exemption for goods vehicles used in connection with lion dance or dragon dance); Schedule (written laws exempted)
- Made By: Minister for Transport (via authorising powers under the Road Traffic Act)
- Date Made: 30 May 2011 (signed by Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transport)
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 instrument under Singapore’s Road Traffic Act. In plain terms, it allows certain goods vehicles to be used to carry people who are participating in lion dance or dragon dance performances, even though the general road traffic rules may otherwise restrict or regulate the carriage of persons in goods vehicles.
The Order recognises that lion and dragon dance troupes often need practical transport arrangements for performers and equipment. Rather than requiring performers to travel only in passenger vehicles, the exemption permits the use of goods vehicles for the specific purpose of transporting persons participating in these cultural performances—provided strict safety and insurance conditions are met.
Importantly, the exemption is not open-ended. It is conditional and limited to the “use on any road” of a goods vehicle for the carriage of persons participating in a lion dance or a dragon dance. It also operates by exempting the “written laws set out in the Schedule” from applying to that use, meaning the Order is designed to carve out a narrow exception within the broader regulatory framework.
What Are the Key Provisions?
1. Citation and scope of the instrument (Section 1)
Section 1 provides the short title: the Order may be cited as the Road Traffic (Carriage of Persons in Goods Vehicles — Lion and Dragon Dance) (Exemption) Order 2011. While this is standard drafting, it also signals that the instrument is meant to be used as a specific legal basis for the exemption, rather than as a general policy statement.
2. The exemption: carriage of persons in goods vehicles for lion/dragon dance (Section 2(1))
Section 2(1) is the operative provision. Subject to the conditions in Section 2(2), the written laws listed 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.
Two practical points matter for practitioners. First, the exemption is tied to the purpose of the vehicle use: it must be for carrying persons participating in the relevant performance. Second, it applies to the use on any road, indicating that the exemption is not confined to private roads or closed venues; it is intended to cover public road travel during the performance logistics.
3. Conditions attached to the exemption (Section 2(2))
Section 2(2) sets out three conditions that must be satisfied at all times when the goods vehicle is used for the exempt purpose. These conditions are the legal “guardrails” that preserve road safety and risk management.
(a) Safe driving having regard to passenger safety
Under Section 2(2)(a), the goods vehicle “shall be driven in a safe manner having regard to the safety of all passengers on the vehicle.” This is a broad standard, not a mere technical requirement. It requires the driver and operator to consider the actual circumstances—how passengers are seated or positioned, how the vehicle is configured, road conditions, and the nature of the journey. In enforcement or litigation, this condition can be assessed using ordinary negligence and safety principles, but framed as a statutory obligation.
(b) Speed limit when carrying persons not in a sitting position
Section 2(2)(b) provides a specific numerical restriction: the vehicle “shall not be driven at a speed which exceeds 15 km/h when it is carrying any person who is not in a sitting position.” This condition is particularly important for dance troupes, where performers may need to move, rehearse, or be positioned in ways that may not always be “sitting.” The legal trigger is factual: if any person is not sitting, the 15 km/h cap applies.
For legal advisers, this raises evidential and compliance issues. Operators should ensure that passengers are seated where feasible, or otherwise implement strict speed governance and monitoring. The condition also implies that the exemption’s safety profile changes depending on how passengers are positioned at the time of travel.
(c) Continuous insurance coverage for death or bodily injury
Section 2(2)(c) requires that there be in force at all times 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 is a critical risk-transfer requirement. It ensures that if an accident occurs, victims (including performers) are protected by insurance coverage. Practically, it means the exemption is not available unless the operator has arranged appropriate insurance coverage that responds to personal injury and death claims arising from the vehicle’s use for the exempt purpose.
4. The Schedule: written laws exempted
The Order includes a Schedule titled “Written laws in respect of which exemption is granted.” While the extract provided does not list the specific laws, the structure indicates that the exemption is not merely a general permission; it is a legal mechanism that disapplies specified provisions of the Road Traffic Act and/or related subsidiary rules.
For a practitioner, the Schedule is essential. It identifies exactly which statutory or regulatory requirements are being disapplied. In advising clients, counsel should obtain the full Schedule text from the official legislation database to determine the precise regulatory gaps the exemption creates (for example, whether it relates to restrictions on carriage of persons in goods vehicles, licensing requirements, or other safety/operational rules).
How Is This Legislation Structured?
This Order is structured in a conventional subsidiary legislation format:
- Enacting formula referencing the Minister’s power under section 142 of the Road Traffic Act.
- Section 1 (Citation) providing the short title.
- Section 2 containing the substantive exemption and its conditions.
- The Schedule listing the “written laws” that are disapplied by the exemption.
From a legal interpretation standpoint, the key interpretive relationship is that Section 2(1) grants the exemption, but Section 2(2) conditions it. If any condition is breached, the exemption may not apply, and the general road traffic rules (including any disapplied provisions) may become enforceable.
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 a dragon dance. Therefore, the practical beneficiaries are the organisers, troupe operators, drivers, and vehicle owners who arrange transportation for performers.
However, liability and compliance obligations will typically fall on the parties responsible for the vehicle’s operation and the arrangement of passenger carriage. The conditions in Section 2(2) are directed at the manner of driving and the existence of insurance coverage “at all times.” This means that even if a troupe organiser arranges transport, the driver and vehicle operator must ensure compliance with the statutory conditions, and insurers must confirm that the policy covers the relevant liabilities arising from the vehicle’s use.
Why Is This Legislation Important?
This Order is significant because it balances cultural practice with road safety and risk management. Without an exemption, general traffic rules may prohibit or restrict the carriage of persons in goods vehicles, potentially forcing troupes to use passenger vehicles or other compliant transport arrangements. The exemption provides a lawful pathway to use goods vehicles while still imposing safety and insurance requirements.
For practitioners, the Order is also important because it creates a conditional legal defence framework. If a client is charged with an offence or is facing civil liability after an incident involving a goods vehicle carrying performers, the exemption may be relevant to whether certain regulatory provisions applied to the vehicle use. But the exemption is conditional; failure to comply with any of the three conditions—safe driving, the 15 km/h speed limit when passengers are not sitting, and continuous insurance—could undermine reliance on the exemption.
Finally, the insurance requirement in Section 2(2)(c) is a practical compliance anchor. It ensures that the exemption does not operate in a “no-fault protection vacuum.” In advising clients, counsel should treat insurance documentation and policy wording as central evidence of compliance, not as an administrative afterthought.
Related Legislation
- Road Traffic Act (Chapter 276) — in particular, section 142 (authorising power for exemptions)
- Road Traffic Act — general provisions regulating road use, vehicle types, and carriage of persons
- Road Traffic (Timeline / Legislation database) — for version control and amendments (as referenced in the legislation interface)
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.