Closing speech of the land transport and related matters bill – speech by Ms Sim Ann, Senior Minister of State for Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Home Affairs

Introduction

1. Mr Speaker, I thank the Members for their interest and support for the Bill. Please allow me to address their comments on the MHA related amendments.

Speed Limiter Issues

2. Ms Joan Pereira and Ms Yeo Wan Ling asked about the regulatory and enforcement approach for foreign-registered heavy vehicles vis-a-vis Singapore-registered heavy vehicles.

3. Speed limiters are employed upstream to reduce speeding risk before the offence occurs. In 2024, the speed limiter regime was expanded to include lorries with a Maximum Laden Weight of between 3,501kg and 12,000kg.

4. Singapore-registered heavy vehicles account for the bulk of heavy vehicle traffic on our roads. Installing speed limiters for these vehicles would therefore reduce the road safety risks associated with heavy vehicles very significantly.

5. We also recognise the need to address the safety risks associated with foreign-registered heavy vehicles. We require them to comply with our road traffic laws and regulations, and we conduct on-road enforcement on them. Foreign vehicles that commit speeding offences will be dealt with in accordance with the law. We do not require them to install speed limiters, because they also ply in other jurisdictions with different speed limits from Singapore. It is worth noting that, since Singapore-registered lorries are already required to install speed limiters and therefore will be unable to speed, this allows Traffic Police to focus speeding enforcement on all other vehicles on our roads, including foreign-registered heavy vehicles.

6. To Ms Joan Pereira’s question on installing speed limiters for “higher-risk passenger cars”, speed limiters are currently required for heavy vehicles as part of a targeted, risk-based approach. These vehicles pose higher risks due to their size, weight and operating characteristics. But the risks associated with passenger cars, on the other hand, arise primarily from driver behaviour, rather than vehicle attributes. These behaviours are more appropriately addressed through public education efforts and deterrent penalties, rather than through speed limiters.

7. Members also asked about speed limits for heavy vehicles. Ms Yeo Wan Ling asked whether the speed differential between passenger vehicles and heavy vehicles gives rise to unsafe driving conditions. Ms Valerie Lee suggested that lighter vehicles with a maximum laden weight of 3,501 to 5,000kg should be subject to a higher speed limit of 70 km/h, instead of the current 60 km/h. Let me clarify. On expressways, passenger vehicles may travel at speeds of up to 90 km/h, while heavy vehicles are subject to a vehicular speed limit of 60 km/h, enforced through speed limiters. But these differing limits should not be seen in isolation. They are paired with lane-discipline requirements, where slower vehicles are required to keep to the left lane, except when overtaking.

8. The rationale for this framework is road safety. Heavy vehicles differ from passenger vehicles in terms of mass, braking distance, stability, and blind spots, and when accidents occur, they can cause disproportionate harm. Speed control is therefore a critical safety lever to reduce the risk and severity of accidents involving such vehicles.

9. To Ms Valerie Lee’s suggestion, vehicles with a maximum laden weight of between 3,501 to 5,000kg are subject to the same 60 km/h speed limit as vehicles above 5,000kg because they pose similar road safety risks, such as longer braking distances and reduced manoeuvrability at higher speed.

10. Sir, we are starting to see results from our policy. The number of speeding-related accidents, including fatal ones, involving heavy vehicles has decreased by 28% from 25 cases in 2024 to 18 cases in 2025, as more lorries installed speed limiters last year. We expect these figures to further decrease after all lorries install speed limiters by 1 July 2027.

11. We also recognise that good lane discipline is essential where there are differences in vehicle speeds. The Traffic Police will continue to educate motorists on the importance of maintaining lane discipline and enforce against violations.

12. Ms Yeo Wan Ling, Ms Valerie Lee and Dr Choo Pei Ling asked questions about the compliance burden on businesses and whether assistance is being provided to businesses to facilitate the installation of speed limiters.

13. To Ms Yeo’s query, the speed limiter requirement applies to lorries that continue to operate on Singapore roads. Where a vehicle is earmarked to be scrapped after its statutory installation deadline, the vehicle must be installed with a speed limiter in order to operate on the roads after the deadline. While I appreciate Ms Yeo’s suggestion to exercise flexibility for those with firm scrapping plans, we will have to draw the line somewhere, and there will always be lorries which are intended to be scrapped after the deadline. We have thus decided to maintain a consistent approach by not extending the deadline for any group. Lorry owners have been given adequate lead time to plan their installation decisions in accordance with their business and operational needs.

14. On assistance provided to businesses, in this first phase of speed limiter installation, 94% of the lorries that needed to install by 1 January 2026, or about 2,300 lorries, had completed their installation before the deadline. To support small and medium enterprises (SMEs), Enterprise Singapore (EnterpriseSG) has expanded Productivity Solutions Grant (PSG) support to cover speed limiters for eligible SMEs that install between 1 October 2025 and 31 March 2027. This recognises that speed limiters can also indirectly improve productivity by reducing downtime in the event of accidents.

15. Beyond this, the Traffic Police has introduced UN ECE R89 as a third approved speed limiter standard. This expands the variety of approved speed limiters available in the market and provides more options for lorry owners looking to install speed limiters. The Traffic Police has also worked with the industry to significantly increase installation capacity, expanding the number of authorised agents more than six-fold since January 2025, to 70 currently. The industry has also been offering on-site installation and bulk discounts to encourage installation.

Outsourcing of Straightforward Traffic Violations

16. Turning to the other proposals in the Bill – Mr Jackson Lam asked how fairness and public trust would be maintained in the context of increasingly automated enforcement systems. Ms Sylvia Lim asked for details about the outsourcing arrangement to private sector companies.

17. Let me first clarify that clauses 74 and 79 of the Bill only allow for the administrative processing of straightforward violations to be carried out by authorised civilians, after an offence has been detected. These amendments do not involve the automation of enforcement decisions. They also do not change the current process for appeals, including the viewing of camera footage upon request, which will continue to be managed by Traffic Police.

18. These authorised civilians will assess traffic camera footage to determine if a traffic violation has been disclosed. This is based on an assessment framework provided by Traffic Police. For example, for footage captured by red light cameras, these civilians will view a series of photos to confirm that the vehicle had crossed the stop line after the traffic light had turned red. In short, the authorised civilians will not exercise enforcement discretion. The Traffic Police will continue to be responsible and accountable for enforcement policy and decisions.

19. We are working out the procurement details and approach. That said, we agree with the Member that any use of automation or outsourcing must be subject to robust safeguards and oversight, to ensure fairness and public confidence in traffic enforcement.

Dangerous and Careless Driving

20. Finally, we thank Dr Hamid Razak for his support for measures to enhance road safety. Let me address Dr Hamid’s suggestion to raise penalties and demonstrate stronger deterrence for dangerous and careless driving offences. The Ministry fully agrees with the need for adequate deterrence and appropriate punishment, commensurate with the culpability of the offender and the harm caused through the offending act. The maximum penalties set out in the Road Traffic Act reflect this calibrated approach. Building on this, MHA is working with the Sentencing Advisory Panel, chaired by Justice Tay Yong Kwang, to publish sentencing guidelines for the offences of dangerous and careless driving.

21. The Ministry is studying further measures to shape responsible driving behaviour and improve overall road safety. Further details will be announced when ready.

Conclusion

22. I thank Members for supporting the Bill. Mr Speaker, I beg to move.