POLICE NEWS RELEASE - ANNUAL ROAD TRAFFIC SITUATION 2022

POLICE NEWS RELEASE - ANNUAL ROAD TRAFFIC SITUATION 2022

INCREASE IN TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS WITH THE RESUMPTION OF MORE ACTIVITIES IN 2022

With the resumption of more activities due to the easing of Safe Management Measures (SMMs), the number of road traffic accidents rose in 2022 compared to 2021. However, the number of road traffic accidents remains lower than the pre-COVID-19 period.

 The number of traffic accidents involving motorcyclists and elderly pedestrians increased in 2022. They continue to account for a disproportionate number of traffic accidents resulting in injuries or death.1
 

Fatal traffic accidents and fatalities increased in 2022

The number of fatal accidents increased by 4.0%, from 100 cases in 2021 to 104 in 2022. The number of fatalities increased slightly from 107 persons in 2021 to 108 in 2022. However, this was still lower compared to the pre-COVID-19 period. Please refer to Chart 1 for the number of fatal accidents and fatalities for the past five years.

1 Elderly pedestrians refer to pedestrians aged 60 and above.

The road traffic fatality rate per 100,000 population decreased from 1.96 in 2021 to 1.92 in 2022.2 Please refer to Chart 2 for the road traffic fatality rates for the past five years.

Increase in accidents resulting in injuries and number of injured persons

The number of accidents resulting in injuries increased by 13.8%, from 5,939 cases in 2021 to 6,760 in 2022. The number of injured persons also increased, by 14.0% from 7,240 persons in 2021 to 8,252 in 2022. However, this was still lower compared to the pre-COVID-19 period. Please refer to Chart 3 for the number of accidents resulting in injuries and injured persons for the past five years.

2 The drop in the traffic fatality rate despite an increase in fatalities is due to the population figure. Singapore’s total population was 5,453,600 and 5,637,000 in 2021 and 2022 respectively.

Decrease in red-light running and speeding violations, but increase in speeding-related accidents

 The number of red-light running violations decreased by 2.3%, from 44,745 cases in 2021 to 43,697 in 2022. The number of speeding violations also decreased, by 10.1% from 139,276 cases in 2021 to 125,189 in 2022.

The number of red-light running accidents decreased by 2.9%, from 136 cases in 2021 to 132 in 2022. However, the number of speeding-related accidents increased by 14.2%, from 984 cases in 2021 to 1,124 in 2022.

Increase in number of drink-driving accidents

The number of drink-driving accidents increased by 9.7%, from 155 cases in 2021 to 170 in 2022. The increase in the number of drink-driving accidents from the second quarter of 2022 onwards coincided with the resumption of nightlife activities in April 2022.

The number of fatal drink-driving accidents increased by 25%, from 8 cases in 2021 to 10 in 2022. The number of persons arrested for drink-driving increased by 16%, from 1,453 persons in 2021 to 1,685 in 2022.

The Traffic Police (TP) will continue to take tough enforcement against irresponsible driving. Motorists who flout traffic rules and regulations such as red-light running, speeding or drink-driving may be prosecuted in court. If grievous hurt or death is caused, motorists may face imprisonment and driving disqualification.

ELDERLY PEDESTRIANS AND MOTORCYCLISTS REMAIN VULNERABLE

Motorcyclists and elderly pedestrians continue to account for a disproportionate number of road traffic accidents resulting in injuries or death. Motorcyclists and pillion riders made up 56.1% of traffic accidents and 43.5% of traffic fatalities in 2022. Fatal accidents involving elderly pedestrians accounted for about 70% of fatal accidents involving pedestrians in 2022.

Increase in accidents and injured persons involving elderly pedestrians

The number of traffic accidents involving elderly pedestrians increased by 14.6%, from 205 in 2021 to 235 in 2022. Similarly, the number of elderly pedestrians injured in these accidents increased by 10.4%, from 193 in 2021 to 213 in 2022. The number of elderly pedestrian fatalities increased by 53.3% from 15 in 2021 to 23 in 2022. 73.9% of the fatal accidents involving elderly pedestrians were due to jaywalking, an increase from 50% in 2021.

TP will continue to engage and educate elderly road users on good road safety habits. TP regularly conducts talks, concerts and exhibitions islandwide to reach out to seniors. TP and the Singapore Road Safety Council, with support from the Land Transport Authority and the People’s Association, organised the Road Safety Concert for Seniors 2022 in August 2022. Road safety messages were disseminated through educational talks, songs, and skits in English, Mandarin and various dialects. The concert was also streamed live on TP’s ‘Use Your RoadSense’ Facebook page to reach out to more seniors.

Increase in accidents involving motorcyclists and pillion riders, but decrease in fatalities

The number of accidents involving motorcyclists increased by 11.3%, from 3,464 in 2021 to 3,854 in 2022. The number of motorcyclists and pillion riders who sustained injuries increased by 12.8%, from 3,693 in 2021 to 4,165 in 2022.

The number of fatal accidents involving motorcyclists decreased by 10.7%, from 56 in 2021 to 50 in 2022. The number of motorcyclist and pillion rider fatalities decreased by 6.0%, from 50 persons in 2021 to 47 persons in 2022.

TP will continue to engage and educate motorcyclists on safe riding habits. The ‘Reward the Riders’ campaign took place between 19 September 2022 and 24 October 2022. Motorcyclists who wore appropriate safety gear and/or displayed safe riding habits on the roads were stopped and rewarded with goodie bags by TP officers. On 5 November 2022, TP partnered National Bikers’ Weekend to launch the Singapore Ride Safe 2022 campaign at D’Marquee, Downtown East. Five motorcyclists who wore proper riding gear and adhered to the traffic rules on the roads were presented with a special award at the event. These campaigns built on the previous years’ efforts to engage and educate the motorcyclist community on the importance of safe riding behaviour. 

A THREE-PRONGED APPROACH TO SAFER ROADS THROUGH EDUCATION, ENGAGEMENT AND ENFORCEMENT

TP will continue its three-pronged approach to maintain safer roads through education, engagement, and enforcement.

In 2022, TP, together with stakeholders and partners, organised road safety initiatives targeted at different road user groups across different age groups to educate, engage and remind them on the importance of road safety. These include the Singapore Road Safety Month in May 2022, the Road Safety Concert for Seniors in August 2022, Singapore Ride Safe Campaign in November 2022, as well as the Singapore Traffic Games and Anti-Drink Drive Campaign in December 2022. TP also worked with the Ministry of Education (MOE) to develop and launch an online road safety programme in April 2022 – the ‘Road Safety Challenge!’. The programme educates primary school children on basic road safety rules and good habits through animated scenarios and interactive quizzes.        

TP also conducted numerous engagements with different road user groups, including motorcyclists, elderly pedestrians, children, cyclists and the general public, throughout the year.

• Displaying road safety banners at strategic locations;
• Reinforcing road safety campaign messages, both in person and via social media platforms;
• Conducting road safety talks;
• Organising Family Days at Road Safety Community Park (RSCP); and
• Promoting safe cycling habits to cyclists at a series of cycling events during the Festival of Cycling.

TP held joint operations regularly with other government agencies to deter and detect errant road users.

LAUNCH OF THE ONLINE MOCK THEORY TEST

TP will be launching an online Mock Theory Test (MTT) portal in the first quarter of 2023. As part of TP’s continuous education efforts, this initiative targets both learner and existing motorists by providing them with a platform to familiarise or refresh themselves with road traffic rules, traffic signs and appropriate road behaviour.

All SingPass account holders will be able to access the Basic, Final and Riding Theory Tests on MTT for free. The MTT can be accessed from the SPF e-services website, TP’s online learning portal or the Police@SG mobile app. The MTT is available in four languages – English, Mandarin, Malay and Tamil – to allow users to do the test in a language of their choice. It is accessed through the ‘Practice Mode’. There is no time limit or limit on the number of attempts. Learners will be able to review their answers at the end of each test session.

The MTT mirrors the actual test requirements. Users are given 50 minutes to complete 50 questions. They can choose to flag, skip and review questions. There will be a built-in pop-up alert to the users when there are 10 minutes left. When the time is up, the last selected answer will be auto submitted. Please refer to Annex A for a screenshot of the MTT.

CONCLUSION

Road safety is a shared responsibility. TP urges all road users to continue practising good road safety habits and play their part in keeping Singapore’s roads safe.

PUBLIC AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
14 FEBRUARY 2023

Annex A

Article Credits: police.gov.sg

Join SingaporeBikes on Telegram for more of the latest news, special offers, reviews of motorcycles, and more!