SINGAPORE: Road fatalities and injuries hit a five-year high in 2024, said the Singapore Police Force (SPF) on Friday (Feb 21).
In SPF's annual road traffic statistics, the number of traffic accidents resulting in death increased to 139 in 2024 from 131 in 2023. Fatalities from these accidents rose by 4.4 per cent, from 136 people in 2023 to 142 people last year.
About a third (33.1 per cent) of fatal accidents last year were due to speeding, up from about a quarter (24.4 per cent) in 2023, the police added.
There were 46 speeding-related fatal accidents last year, a jump of 43.8 per cent.
Overall, the number of speeding violations increased by 64.8 per cent, from 116,440 cases in 2023 to 191,931 cases in 2024.
As for accidents resulting in injuries, these rose by 1.4 per cent, from 6,949 cases in 2023 to 7,049 cases in 2024. The number of people injured increased by 4 per cent to 9,302 in 2024.
SPF attributed the cause of the accidents to motorists' failure to keep a proper lookout, lack of adequate vehicle control, and lane changing without due care.
SPF said that the Traffic Police will address the rise in accidents and fatalities by stepping up enforcement operations and penalising irresponsible road users.
In its report, SPF added that the surge in speeding violations "suggests an attitudinal issue and lack of regard for speed compliance among motorists".
This comes after speeding violations detected by traffic enforcement cameras, including red-light cameras with their speed enforcement function activated, increased significantly in 2024.
Red-light cameras across Singapore were "progressively and dynamically" activated from Apr 1 last year, with locations that are more accident-prone or violation-prone prioritised for activation.
The number of speeding violations detected by such cameras increased by 106.6 per cent, from 48,762 cases in 2023 to 100,720 cases in 2024.
To address this "worrying trend", the Traffic Police will continue to progressively activate the speed enforcement function in red-light cameras across the island, especially at accident-prone locations.
Composition fines for speeding offences will be also increased by between S$50 and S$150, while demerit points will be increased by up to six points.
The increased penalties will take effect on Jan 1, 2026, with more details to be announced later this year.
Drink-driving violations increased by 6.9 per cent to 1,778 in 2024. There were 12 fatal drink-driving accidents in the same year.
However, red-light violations dipped last year by 11.9 per cent, from 32,867 cases in 2023 to 28,965 cases in 2024.
The number of fatal accidents involving red-light running also dropped by 25 per cent, from eight cases in 2023 to six cases in 2024.
SPF said that there continues to be a disproportionate number of road traffic accidents involving motorcyclists and elderly pedestrians resulting in injuries or death.
The police said that motorcycles or pillion riders were involved in 55.2 per cent of all traffic accidents and accounted for 59.9 per cent of traffic fatalities, even though motorcycles only made up 14.7 per cent of the nation's vehicle population in 2024.
Motorcycle accidents increased 4.7 per cent to 3,969 cases in 2024.
Motorcyclist and pillion rider casualties increased by 4.7 per cent as well, from 4,303 people in 2023 to 4,507 people in 2024.
Fatal accidents involving motorcyclists increased 20.8 per cent to 87 cases in 2024, with motorcyclist and pillion rider fatalities increasing 25 per cent to 85 people the same year.
The police also said that elderly pedestrians "continue to be a significant concern".
"This group remains overrepresented in pedestrian fatalities," it said.
The elderly population made up 12.5 per cent of the overall Singapore population in 2024 but the elderly were involved in 42.3 per cent of all fatal traffic accidents involving pedestrians and accounted for 44 per cent of pedestrian fatalities.
Despite this, the number of traffic accidents involving elderly pedestrians dipped by 12.7 per cent, from 228 cases in 2023 to 199 cases in 2024.
The number of injured elderly pedestrians in 2024 decreased by 6.9 per cent to 189.
The number of fatal accidents involving elderly pedestrians also plunged by 50 per cent, from 22 cases in 2023 to 11 cases in 2024, while elderly pedestrian fatalities decreased by 52.2 per cent, from 23 persons in 2023 to 11 persons in 2024.
Jaywalking continues to be a concern, the SPF added, as accidents involving jaywalkers increased by 23 per cent to 353 cases in 2024.
The number of casualties among jaywalkers also increased by 26 per cent, from 283 persons in 2023 to 356 persons in 2024.
Fatal accidents involving jaywalkers increased by 12.5 per cent, from 16 cases in 2023 to 18 cases in 2024.
"Elderly pedestrians also continue to be overrepresented as they accounted for 38.9 per cent of the total number of fatalities involving pedestrians who jaywalked in 2024," the police said.
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In SPF's annual road traffic statistics, the number of traffic accidents resulting in death increased to 139 in 2024 from 131 in 2023. Fatalities from these accidents rose by 4.4 per cent, from 136 people in 2023 to 142 people last year.
About a third (33.1 per cent) of fatal accidents last year were due to speeding, up from about a quarter (24.4 per cent) in 2023, the police added.
There were 46 speeding-related fatal accidents last year, a jump of 43.8 per cent.
Overall, the number of speeding violations increased by 64.8 per cent, from 116,440 cases in 2023 to 191,931 cases in 2024.
As for accidents resulting in injuries, these rose by 1.4 per cent, from 6,949 cases in 2023 to 7,049 cases in 2024. The number of people injured increased by 4 per cent to 9,302 in 2024.
SPF attributed the cause of the accidents to motorists' failure to keep a proper lookout, lack of adequate vehicle control, and lane changing without due care.
SPEEDING AN "ATTITUDINAL ISSUE"
SPF said that the Traffic Police will address the rise in accidents and fatalities by stepping up enforcement operations and penalising irresponsible road users.
In its report, SPF added that the surge in speeding violations "suggests an attitudinal issue and lack of regard for speed compliance among motorists".
This comes after speeding violations detected by traffic enforcement cameras, including red-light cameras with their speed enforcement function activated, increased significantly in 2024.
Red-light cameras across Singapore were "progressively and dynamically" activated from Apr 1 last year, with locations that are more accident-prone or violation-prone prioritised for activation.
The number of speeding violations detected by such cameras increased by 106.6 per cent, from 48,762 cases in 2023 to 100,720 cases in 2024.
To address this "worrying trend", the Traffic Police will continue to progressively activate the speed enforcement function in red-light cameras across the island, especially at accident-prone locations.
Composition fines for speeding offences will be also increased by between S$50 and S$150, while demerit points will be increased by up to six points.
The increased penalties will take effect on Jan 1, 2026, with more details to be announced later this year.
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Drink-driving violations increased by 6.9 per cent to 1,778 in 2024. There were 12 fatal drink-driving accidents in the same year.
However, red-light violations dipped last year by 11.9 per cent, from 32,867 cases in 2023 to 28,965 cases in 2024.
The number of fatal accidents involving red-light running also dropped by 25 per cent, from eight cases in 2023 to six cases in 2024.
ELDERLY PEDESTRIANS, MOTORCYCLISTS REMAIN VULNERABLE
SPF said that there continues to be a disproportionate number of road traffic accidents involving motorcyclists and elderly pedestrians resulting in injuries or death.
The police said that motorcycles or pillion riders were involved in 55.2 per cent of all traffic accidents and accounted for 59.9 per cent of traffic fatalities, even though motorcycles only made up 14.7 per cent of the nation's vehicle population in 2024.
Motorcycle accidents increased 4.7 per cent to 3,969 cases in 2024.
Motorcyclist and pillion rider casualties increased by 4.7 per cent as well, from 4,303 people in 2023 to 4,507 people in 2024.
Fatal accidents involving motorcyclists increased 20.8 per cent to 87 cases in 2024, with motorcyclist and pillion rider fatalities increasing 25 per cent to 85 people the same year.
The police also said that elderly pedestrians "continue to be a significant concern".
"This group remains overrepresented in pedestrian fatalities," it said.
The elderly population made up 12.5 per cent of the overall Singapore population in 2024 but the elderly were involved in 42.3 per cent of all fatal traffic accidents involving pedestrians and accounted for 44 per cent of pedestrian fatalities.
Despite this, the number of traffic accidents involving elderly pedestrians dipped by 12.7 per cent, from 228 cases in 2023 to 199 cases in 2024.
The number of injured elderly pedestrians in 2024 decreased by 6.9 per cent to 189.
The number of fatal accidents involving elderly pedestrians also plunged by 50 per cent, from 22 cases in 2023 to 11 cases in 2024, while elderly pedestrian fatalities decreased by 52.2 per cent, from 23 persons in 2023 to 11 persons in 2024.
Jaywalking continues to be a concern, the SPF added, as accidents involving jaywalkers increased by 23 per cent to 353 cases in 2024.
The number of casualties among jaywalkers also increased by 26 per cent, from 283 persons in 2023 to 356 persons in 2024.
Fatal accidents involving jaywalkers increased by 12.5 per cent, from 16 cases in 2023 to 18 cases in 2024.
"Elderly pedestrians also continue to be overrepresented as they accounted for 38.9 per cent of the total number of fatalities involving pedestrians who jaywalked in 2024," the police said.
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