Average Time Taken to Issue a Summon After a Speeding Offence

Question:

Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song: To ask the Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs (a) what is the average time taken for the Traffic Police to issue a summons after a speeding offence; (b) what operational or administrative constraints prevent immediate issuance; and (c) whether the Ministry will review the system to ensure timely summonses that deter repeat offences and prevent demerit point accumulation leading to licence suspension.

Answer:

Mr K Shanmugam, Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs:

1. The Traffic Police (TP) typically takes about two weeks to issue a Notice to Furnish Driver’s Particulars to the registered vehicle owner, after the officers have verified the offence and the vehicle number captured by the speed camera. The vehicle owner is required to provide the particulars of the speeding driver within 14 days of the date of notice. TP will thereafter issue a Notice of Traffic Offence to the driver. This process is to minimise wrongful attribution of violations.

2. There is, however, a backlog because of the sharp increase in traffic violations, and a recent ransomware attack against one of TP’s vendors. It could currently take about a month before the registered owner receives the Notice to Furnish Driver’s Particulars. TP is addressing these issues.