More traffic accidents resulting in fatalities, injuries in first half of 2021: Police
Cars and other vehicles in Singapore. (File photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
- More drink-driving and speeding-related accidents
- Jaywalking behind almost half the number of accidents involving elderly pedestrians
- Accidents involving motorcycles went up in the first half of 2021
SINGAPORE: There were more traffic accidents resulting in fatalities and injuries in the first half of 2021 as compared to the same period in the previous year, data from the Singapore Police Force (SPF) showed.
The increase is partly due to the increased number of road users and vehicles, SPF said in a news release on Wednesday (Sep 8).
“However, when compared to the pre-COVID period in the first half of 2019, the total number of traffic accidents resulting in fatalities or injuries has decreased by 21.8 per cent,” it added.
SPF said there were 2,998 such accidents in the first half of 2021, a 16.2 per cent increase from the 2,579 reported in the same period last year. The total number of fatalities and injuries also increased by 17 per cent from 3,108 to 3,635.
The number of fatal accidents went up from 49 to 52, with 58 fatalities as compared to last year’s 51.
FEWER ACCIDENTS INVOLVING RED-LIGHT RUNNING, ELDERLY PEDESTRIANS
There were more drink-driving and speeding-related accidents, while the number of red-light running accidents and accidents involving elderly pedestrians decreased, SPF added.
However, the number of traffic accidents and violations was still “generally lower” than in the pre-COVID-19 period as there was lighter traffic volume on the roads due to more people staying home.
There were 23,952 red-light running violations in the first half of 2021, 0.8 per cent lower than the 24,147 in the same period last year. The number of red-light running accidents also decreased from 51 to 47.
Speeding violations went down as well by 29.8 per cent from 94,348 to 66,270.
Accidents involving elderly pedestrians dipped slightly from 107 in the first half of 2020 to 102 in the same period this year.
“The number of elderly pedestrian fatalities decreased from eight in the first half of 2020 to five in the first half of 2021,” SPF said.
“The number of injured elderly pedestrians remained stable, at 99 in the first half of 2021 compared to 100 in the same period in 2020.”
About 47.1 per cent of such accidents in the first half of the year were attributed to jaywalking.
“For their safety, elderly pedestrians are advised to use pedestrian crossings or overhead bridges to cross the roads,” police said.
However, there were more speeding-related and drink-driving accidents in this period for 2021.
Speeding-related accidents increased by 25.3 per cent to 426 from 340 last year, while those related to drink-driving went up by 20.3 per cent to 77 cases.
More people were also arrested for drink-driving in the first half of this year, going up 7.7 per cent to 724 from 672 last year.
“Going forward, as the traffic volume increases with resumption of more activities, we can expect traffic accidents and violation figures to increase,” SPF said.
“Traffic police will continue to take strong enforcement action against errant motorists who violate traffic rules.”
MORE ACCIDENTS INVOLVING MOTORCYCLISTS
The first half of 2021 also saw more accidents involving motorcyclists, SPF said.
There were 1,702 such accidents, a 10.1 per cent increase from the 1,546 in the corresponding period last year.
“The number of motorcyclist and pillion rider fatalities decreased by 16.1 per cent, from 31 in the first half of 2020 to 26 in the first half of 2021,” police said, adding that injuries rose 10.5 per cent from 1,631 to 1,803.
“Motorcyclists continue to account for a disproportionate number of traffic accidents and fatalities. Motorcyclists and pillion riders were involved in 56.8 per cent of overall traffic accidents, and made up 44.8 per cent of traffic fatalities, in the first half of 2021.”
SPF also said on Tuesday that the Traffic Police has moved its education and engagement efforts online amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
This includes online campaigns for Singapore Road Safety Month, during which road safety videos were published on Facebook and YouTube.
An online road safety programme was also launched as part of the Road Safety for Seniors campaign this year. It included a talk and a sharing session on eye care for seniors, which were posted on Facebook and YouTube.
Road safety banners were also placed at accident-prone areas and jaywalking hotspots to remind and encourage elderly pedestrians to cross only at designated crossings, SPF said.
