Information - Traffic Statistics (1st Apr 2011)

Chart 1: Fatal and Injury Accident Rate (2006 – 2010)

Chart 2: Fatal Accident Rates per 10,000 Vehicle Population* (2006 – 2010)

KEY AREAS OF CONCERN

Traffic Police would like to highlight two key areas of concern this year:

Motorcyclists & Pillion Riders Remain the Most Vulnerable Group of Road Users

Motorcyclists and their pillion riders continue to be the most vulnerable group of road users, accounting for 46.1% of all fatalities in 2010. (Table 1 refers).

Table 1: No. of Fatalities by Road User Groups

IMPROVEMENT IN THE NUMBER OF MOTORCYCLISTS AND PILLION RIDER FATALITIES

However, Traffic Police's efforts to inculcate safe driving habits into motorcyclists appears to have shown some results as the total of motorcyclists and pillion rider fatalities registered an improvement in 2010. This is in spite of a 1% increase in the number of registered motorcycles in Singapore during that period.

78 motorcyclists died on the roads in 2010, a drop of 5 fatalities as compared to 2009. Overall, the number of motorcyclists and pillion riders fatalities has also decreased by about 3.3% in 2010. (Table 2 refers)

Table 2: No. of Motorcyclists and their Pillion Riders Fatalities, 2009 & 2010

Traffic Police will continue to take a holistic approach through enforcement action, enhanced training curriculum, rigorous training standards and extensive public education efforts to address this area of concern.

INCREASE IN ELDERLY PEDESTRIAN FATALITIES

Among the 55 pedestrians who died on the roads in 2010, about half (52.7%) were aged 60 and above. Of the 29 elderly pedestrian fatalities, 24 died as a result of jaywalking.

Enhancing Road Safety Awareness among Elderly

To further enhance awareness of road safety among the elderly, Traffic Police will partner with the People's Association and work with their Citizens on Patrol and Community Emergency Response Team to disseminate road safety messages to elderly residents during patrols and community events. These efforts will serve to remind the elderly of their vulnerability on the roads, as well as impress upon them the need to utilise pedestrian crossings.

In order to reach out to the elderly in a more relaxed and effective way, Traffic Police will also be working with Singapore Action Group of Elders (SAGE) and some students to organise a road safety game targeted at elderly pedestrians. The game entails taking the elderly to various roads, where they will be briefed on the dangers of jaywalking and the meanings of different traffic road signs.

Understanding the elderly's love of entertainment, Traffic Police is exploring the feasibility of leveraging on TV variety shows popular with the elderly to dish out road safety tips and advice so as to better reach out to them.

On the education front, Traffic Police will continue to work closely with strategic partners such as SAGE and Lion Befrienders Service Association to promote road safety awareness to the elderly through exhibitions, talks and outreach sessions in 2011.

CONCLUSION

Traffic Police will continue with sustained enforcement efforts targeted at errant driving and riding behaviour, and work with the Singapore Road Safety Council on educational initiatives towards vulnerable groups of road users such as motorcyclists and pedestrians. Such efforts, coupled with greater consideration and courtesy shown by motorists on the roads, will make motoring in Singapore a safer and more pleasant experience for all.

In conclusion, Commander of Traffic Police, Assistant Commissioner Cheang Keng Keong said, "One life lost is one too many. A tragedy on the roads can be averted by being just a little more alert and patient. All road users have to play their part and a strong message must be sent to those who choose to flout the law and behave irresponsibly on the roads. Traffic Police will continue with our enforcement efforts to weed out such errant motorists and make our roads safer for all."