Parking restriction and penalties in Singapore that you should know!

There are many illegal offenses that you can commit when driving a car, a tad too heavy on the accelerator can easily get you fined, however, sometimes even leaving the car stationary can bring you trouble with the law. Here are some offenses that you might have been committing without realizing!

Parking against traffic flow

Eyeing on a parking space on the opposite direction but afraid that it will be gone if you make a U-turn. What if you decide to just park facing in the reverse direction of all the other cars? Besides sticking out like a sore thumb, it is actually an offense as you will be deemed to have been parking while against the traffic flow. You may also be causing danger to oncoming traffic when you are trying to pull out of the parking space as well.
Damage Amount: $70

Parking beyond the boundaries of the parking lot

Well, it is commonly known that if you park your vehicle into multiple lots at the same time is an offense however, this holds true too even if there is additional space you can park (e.g parking closer to the wall) as long as you exceed the designated lot warrants for a fine! This logic is applied when parallel parking as well, although it is courteous to give other drivers space to park, exceeding your designated lot, even if you are the first or the last vehicle can get you fined as well. Be sure to take note of this!
Damage Amount: $70

Leaving the engine idling when vehicle is stationary

Perhaps it’s a sunny afternoon and you just want to enjoy some air-conditioning, or you are just waiting for someone to make their way down from their house. Did you know that you can actually be slapped with a huge fine if you leave your engine idling while doing so? This fine is by enforced by the National Environment Agency(NEA) with the rationale to minimize pollution and reduce fuel wastage.

Damage Amount: $2000 (up to $5000 and charged in court)

Unauthorised parking in a reserved parking lot

For newer drivers especially, there are many colors when it comes to parking lots. You may have parked in either the red or red and white parking lot at your place of residence and faced no issues. However, do take note that red lots are only for season parking holders all day. If you are out on an errand and see any red lots it may be tempting as to how convenient, it is an offense. For red and white parking lots, you are permitted to park from Monday to Saturdays 7am to 7pm (Public holidays excluded) be sure not to park over the stipulated timing for the bi-colored parking lots if you do not want to be surprised with a fine.

Damage if caught: $70

Parking on a Single or Double continuous white lines in the centre of a bi-directional road

Where the normal parking lots are unavailable, seen commonly in landed properties, where vehicles park on the side of the road, you may have thought that you found a parking space where the left side of the road has no markings or a single yellow line. However, do take note that if there is a single or double continuous white line that marks the middle of a two-way road, you are not permitted to park there!
I believe many of us drivers has faced this issue thinking that there was no issue to park as there are no yellow lines drawn only to see a long slip of paper on the windshield after you come back to your car.

Damage Amount: $70

These are some of the parking rules that you may not know you could get into trouble for especially if you are a newer driver. We hope that this was informative and has helped you find out offenses that you might have just been committing unknowingly or has served as a reminded to not commit any of these offenses!