Statute Details
- Title: Road Traffic (Carriage of Persons in Goods Vehicles — Weddings, Funerals and Religious Processions) (Exemption) Order 2011
- Act Code: RTA1961-S279-2011
- Legislative Type: Subsidiary Legislation (SL)
- Authorising Act: Road Traffic Act (Cap. 276), section 142
- Enacting Formula: Made by the Minister for Transport in exercise of powers under section 142 of the Road Traffic Act
- Commencement: 1 June 2011 (SL 279/2011)
- Current Status: Current version as at 27 Mar 2026 (per provided extract)
- Key Provisions:
- Section 1: Citation
- Section 2: Definitions (incorporates meanings from the Public Order Act 2009)
- Section 3: Exemption for goods vehicles used to carry persons for weddings, funerals and religious processions; includes conditions and a schedule-based scope of “written laws”
- Schedule: Identifies the “written laws” from which the exemption is granted (not reproduced in the extract)
What Is This Legislation About?
The Road Traffic (Carriage of Persons in Goods Vehicles — Weddings, Funerals and Religious Processions) (Exemption) Order 2011 is a targeted exemption order. In essence, it allows certain goods vehicles to be used to carry people participating in specific types of events—namely weddings, funerals, and religious processions—without being subject to certain road traffic “written laws” listed in the Schedule.
The practical problem the Order addresses is that road traffic rules governing the carriage of persons in goods vehicles can be restrictive. Yet, in real-world circumstances, communities may arrange transport for participants to and from ceremonies and processions. The exemption is designed to facilitate these activities while still maintaining baseline safety and insurance protections.
Importantly, the exemption is not blanket. It is confined to defined categories of events and is subject to conditions on safe driving, speed limits when passengers are not seated, and mandatory insurance coverage for death or bodily injury arising from the use of the vehicle.
What Are the Key Provisions?
Section 1 (Citation) provides the short title: the Order may be cited as the Road Traffic (Carriage of Persons in Goods Vehicles — Weddings, Funerals and Religious Processions) (Exemption) Order 2011. While straightforward, citation matters for legal drafting, compliance documentation, and enforcement proceedings.
Section 2 (Definitions) is a key interpretive provision. It states that “assembly”, “procession”, “public assembly” and “public procession” have the same meanings as in the Public Order Act 2009. This incorporation by reference is legally significant: it ensures that the scope of the exemption tracks the statutory definitions used for public order regulation, rather than leaving the terms to ordinary meaning or case-by-case interpretation.
Section 3 (Exemption for goods vehicles used in connection with weddings, funerals or religious processions) is the core operative section. Under section 3(1), subject to section 3(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) any public assembly or public procession held in connection with a wedding or a funeral; or
(b) any religious procession in respect of which a permit is granted under the Public Order Act 2009.
From a practitioner’s perspective, the phrase “written laws set out in the Schedule” is crucial. The exemption is not necessarily from all road traffic rules; it is from the specific provisions enumerated in the Schedule. Because the Schedule is not reproduced in the extract, lawyers should obtain the full text to identify exactly which statutory requirements are displaced (for example, whether the exemption relates to licensing, vehicle configuration, passenger carriage restrictions, or other regulatory constraints). In compliance work, this is often the difference between a lawful exemption and an inadvertent breach.
Section 3(2) (Conditions) imposes three conditions that must be satisfied at all times when the goods vehicle is used for the exempt purpose. These conditions are designed to preserve safety and risk management:
(a) Safe driving: The goods vehicle must be driven in a safe manner having regard to the safety of all passengers on the vehicle. This is a flexible standard, but it is enforceable. “Having regard to” implies an objective assessment of circumstances—road conditions, traffic, passenger safety, and the nature of the event transport.
(b) Speed limit when passengers are not seated: The vehicle must not be driven at a speed exceeding 15 km/h when carrying any person who is not in a sitting position. This is a bright-line threshold tied to passenger posture. Practically, it incentivises organisers and drivers to ensure passengers are seated, or otherwise to comply with the reduced speed requirement.
(c) Insurance policy requirement: There must 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 condition is both temporal (“at all times”) and substantive (covers death and bodily injury). It is also framed around liability “caused by or arising out of” the use of the vehicle, which is typical of motor insurance coverage language.
Failure to comply with any condition can undermine the exemption. Even if the event falls within the categories in section 3(1), non-compliance with safe driving, the 15 km/h limit (where applicable), or insurance coverage may expose the driver and/or organiser to regulatory and liability consequences.
How Is This Legislation Structured?
The Order is structured in a conventional format for Singapore subsidiary legislation:
Part/Section framework: It contains a short set of sections—Section 1 (Citation), Section 2 (Definitions), and Section 3 (Exemption and conditions).
Schedule: The Schedule lists the “written laws” from which the exemption is granted. Although the extract does not show the Schedule contents, its presence is legally central because it determines the exact regulatory provisions displaced by the exemption.
Enacting formula and making date: The Order includes an enacting formula and a “Made” date (30 May 2011), signed by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transport, reflecting the statutory authority under the Road Traffic Act.
Who Does This Legislation Apply To?
The Order applies to the use on any road of any goods vehicle for the carriage of persons participating in the specified events. The exemption is therefore vehicle- and activity-based, not limited to particular vehicle owners, companies, or event organisers.
However, in practice, compliance will involve multiple parties: the driver (who must drive safely and comply with the speed condition), the vehicle operator/owner (who must ensure insurance is in force), and the event organiser/participants (who must ensure the event qualifies—especially for religious processions where a permit under the Public Order Act 2009 is required). The legal effect is that the exemption is available only when the statutory conditions are met in the course of the exempt carriage.
Why Is This Legislation Important?
This Order is important because it balances two competing policy goals: facilitating community and religious participation, while maintaining safety and insurance safeguards. Without such an exemption, organisers might be forced to use alternative transport arrangements that may be impractical or costly, particularly for short-distance travel associated with ceremonies and processions.
From an enforcement and risk perspective, the Order’s conditions are the heart of its protective function. The safe driving requirement and the 15 km/h limit when passengers are not seated create operational standards that can be assessed after the fact. The insurance condition ensures that, even where the exemption relaxes certain road traffic rules, victims of death or bodily injury arising out of the vehicle’s use have recourse through insured liability.
For practitioners, the most significant legal work is usually in qualifying the event and confirming the scope of the Schedule. Because section 3(1) depends on whether the event is a “public assembly” or “public procession” connected to a wedding or funeral (as defined by the Public Order Act 2009), and because religious processions require a permit under that Act, lawyers should verify the relevant permits and the event classification. Separately, lawyers should review the Schedule to determine exactly which road traffic provisions are exempted, so that compliance advice is accurate and defensible.
Related Legislation
- Public Order Act 2009 (Act 15 of 2009) — definitions of “assembly”, “procession”, “public assembly” and “public procession”; permit regime for religious processions
- Road Traffic Act (Cap. 276) — authorising provision (section 142) and the broader regulatory framework governing road traffic and vehicle use
Source Documents
This article provides an overview of the Road Traffic (Carriage of Persons in Goods Vehicles — Weddings, Funerals and Religious Processions) (Exemption) Order 2011 for legal research and educational purposes. It does not constitute legal advice. Readers should consult the official text for authoritative provisions.