Traffic accident deaths in Singapore spiked by 58% in first half of 2023
Compared to same period in 2022, there were more fatalities due to red-light running, speeding-related and drink driving
SINGAPORE — More people have died of traffic accidents in the first half of 2023, compared to the same period last year.
According to mid-year traffic situation report released by the police on Monday (18 September), the number of fatalities increased from 45 deaths in the first half of 2022 to 71 in the first half of 2023, a rise of 57.8 per cent.
In the same time period, the total number of traffic accidents resulting in injuries or fatalities also rose by 11.8 per cent, from 3,169 in 2022 to 3,542 this year.
While the number of red-light running accidents has dropped from 62 in the first half of 2022 to 59 in the first half of 2023, the number of fatal red-light running accidents increased to six, from just one in 2022.
Similarly, the number of speeding-related accidents also dropped from 505 in the first half of 2022 to 336 in the first half of 2023. However, there were more fatal speed-related accidents in 2023 - 13 of them, up from six in 2022.
There were six fatal drink-driving accidents in the first half of this year, up from three in 2022.
Deaths involving vulnerable road users remain disproportionately high
Police said they remain very concerned that accidents involving vulnerable road users - such as elderly pedestrians and motorcyclists - continue to account for a disproportionate number of traffic accidents which result in injuries or death.
There were 145 accidents involving elderly pedestrians in the first half of this year, up from 120 in 2022. The number of elderly pedestrian fatalities has also gone up from nine in 2022 to 17 this year.
Accidents involving elderly pedestrians made up 30.7 per cent of all pedestrian accidents, and 68 per cent of all pedestrian fatalities, in the first half of 2023.
"Whilst Traffic Police will continue to educate the elderly to use designated crossings, we would like to encourage family members and friends to also remind them," the police said in their report.
The number of motorcyclist and pillion rider fatalities also increased by 28.0 per cent in the first half of this year, up from 25 in 2022 to 32. Motorcyclists and pillion riders were involved in 51.8 per cent of all traffic accidents, and made up 45.1 per cent of all traffic fatalities in the first half of 2023.
The top causes were failing to keep a proper lookout, failing to have proper control of the motorcycle, and changing lanes without due care.
New initiative to reward pedestrians with good road safety habits
Traffic Police will be launching a new "Reward the Pedestrians" initiative on 22 October, where pedestrians spotted exhibiting good road safety habits will be rewarded with a goodie bag.
This is similar to its ongoing "Reward the Riders" initiative which start in June, as motorcyclists spotted to be wearing appropriate safety gear and/or displaying safe riding habits are also rewarded with goodie bags.
In November, Traffic Police will be organising the anti-drink drive campaign, which aims to remind motorists to be responsible and not to drive after consuming alcohol. In the same month, it will launch the 65th Singapore Traffic Games at the Road Safety Community Park, to educate and inculcate road safety values in young students.
"Traffic Police’s efforts alone will never be enough. All road users must play their part in keeping our roads safe," police said in the report.
"Road safety is a shared responsibility. Even if you have the right of way on the road, we urge you to slow down, and look out particularly for vulnerable road users."
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