18-9-2023 (SINGAPORE) Singapore has witnessed a distressing increase in fatal traffic accidents during the first half of 2023, according to data released by the Singapore Police Force (SPF), prompting concerns about road safety in the city-state.
The SPF’s findings revealed a significant rise in road accidents resulting in fatalities. The number of such accidents surged by 61.4%, climbing from 44 in the first half of 2022 to 71 in the same period this year. Tragically, the number of individuals who lost their lives in these accidents also rose by 57.8%, increasing from 45 to 71.
Furthermore, SPF recorded an alarming 11.8% uptick in traffic accidents that led to injuries or fatalities. The figures jumped from 3,169 accidents in the first half of 2022 to 3,542 in the corresponding period in 2023. In terms of the total number of injured and deceased individuals, there was a 17.1% surge, rising from 3,886 to 4,550.
Drink-driving accidents, in particular, exhibited a concerning trend, spiking by 21.4%. Comparing the first half of 2022 to 2023, these accidents increased from 70 to 85. Shockingly, the first six months of 2023 witnessed six fatal drink-driving accidents, compared to just three during the same period last year. The number of individuals arrested for drink-driving, however, remained relatively stable, with 785 arrests in the first half of 2023, only slightly lower than the 790 arrests during the same period in 2022, according to the police.
Of ongoing concern were accidents involving motorcyclists and elderly pedestrians, which continued to be problematic. “Accidents involving vulnerable road users, such as elderly pedestrians and motorcyclists, remain a key concern. They continue to account for a disproportionate number of traffic accidents resulting in injuries or death,” the police noted.
Accidents involving elderly pedestrians registered a concerning uptick, surging from 120 in the first half of 2022 to 145 in the same period in 2023. Among this demographic, fatalities rose from nine to 17, while injuries increased from 112 to 128. Such accidents involving elderly pedestrians constituted 30.7% of all pedestrian accidents and a staggering 68% of all pedestrian fatalities in the first half of 2023. In the first six months of 2023, jaywalking was identified as the cause behind 37.2% of elderly pedestrian accidents.
For motorcyclists, the number of accidents rose to 1,834 in the first half of 2023, compared to 1,751 during the same period last year. Injuries among motorcyclists and pillion riders also saw an increase, rising from 1,877 to 2,035, while fatalities climbed from 25 to 32. In the first half of 2023, motorcyclists and pillion riders were involved in 51.8% of all traffic accidents and comprised 45.1% of all traffic fatalities. The top causes cited were failing to maintain proper vigilance, inadequate control of the motorcycle, and lane-changing without due care.
While there were fewer instances of red-light running and speeding-related violations and accidents in the first half of 2023, the police highlighted a concerning increase in fatal accidents arising from these behaviours.
