Should drivers be held to a higher standard of conduct due to their professional role?

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A Singapore court found a former Grab driver not guilty of attempted rape, while a columnist argues drivers should be held to a higher standard when a passenger is visibly drunk or distressed

A former Grab driver in Singapore was found not guilty of attempted rape of a 19-year-old passenger in 2018. The columnist writing about the case says the driver’s professional role as the person transporting a young, visibly intoxicated and distressed passenger home is precisely why conduct should be held to a higher baseline of decency. The writer frames the core issue as whether it is reasonable to expect a driver to refuse sexual advances in that situation and instead ensure the passenger’s safety.
The court outcome versus the columnist’s view on conduct
The case involved a 19-year-old woman taking a Grab home after a night out with friends, with the driver ultimately being taken to court over allegations that the sexual activity was non-consensual because she was too drunk to consent. The court’s result was not guilty of attempted rape. Despite that legal outcome, the columnist states the driver’s behaviour fell far short of basic standards of decency.
What happened during the trip and the alleged sexual advances
After the woman reached her destination and could not find an access card for her residence, the driver noticed she was struggling and helped her back into his car. The driver claimed that he tried to calm her down by holding her hand and that she then started kissing him, after which other sexual activity followed. He then drove her to another location, attempted further sexual activity, and eventually dropped her back at her residence.
The passenger’s condition after the incident
Hours later, the woman was found unconscious on the road without any underwear. The columnist highlights the vulnerability created by the driver knowing she could not enter her home, then taking her back to his car and leaving her in an undressed state outside. The writer portrays that sequence as incompatible with the safety role expected of a driver.
Why the professional role is central to the standard being discussed
The columnist emphasises that the driver and passenger only came into close contact because of his job, describing his role as delivering a young drunk woman home. The writer notes the driver was in his 40s, more than 20 years older than the woman, and married, while also arguing that even if it is difficult to determine consent in such situations, a visibly intoxicated and distressed passenger should be treated as not in the right state of mind. The columnist’s conclusion is posed as a question of whether expecting a driver to reject advances and convey a passenger to safety is truly unreasonable.

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Should drivers be held to a higher standard of conduct due to their professional role?

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