Launch of Singapore Ride Safe 2018 - Speech by Ms Sun Xueling, Senior Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of National Development

Mr. Bernard Tay, Chairman, Singapore Road Safety Council,

Mr. Gerald Lim, Commander, Traffic Police

Distinguished Guests, Sponsors and Partners

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Introduction – Singapore Ride Safe

1.     Good morning and thank you very much for the extremely warm welcome. It is my pleasure to join you here today, and to launch the Singapore Ride Safe 2018.

2.     The Singapore Ride Safe campaign is into its twelfth year. This is the third time the campaign has been held in conjunction with the Singapore Bike Show. I understand that this year, the organisers expect more visitors than the 70,000 people who attended last year’s Bike Show. It is heartening to see so many motorcycle enthusiasts come together to share safe-riding habits and practices. This serves as an important platform to spread road-safety messages among the motorcycling community.

3.     We want to continue to spread the message of Singapore Ride Safe amongst the motorcycling community, to “Gear Up, Ride Safe”.

Motorcyclists as a Vulnerable Group

4.     The mid-year traffic statistics for 2018 make for a sombre reading. Motorcyclists continue to account for more than half of all traffic accidents in Singapore. In first half of 2018, there were 2,216 accidents involving motorcyclists. This is a 2 percent increase, compared to first half of 2017. In the first half of 2018, 26 motorcyclists lost their lives. This is an 8 percent increase, compared to the first half of 2017.

5.     Every injury and death is one too many. We can do more to keep our motorcyclists safe.

Every Motorcyclist a Responsible Road User

6.     As a member of the motorcycling community, every motorcyclist can take steps to keep himself safe. He can also help shape the riding behaviour of others. Such as what Mr Abdul Khaliff has done. Mr Abdul Khaliff was involved in a motorcycle accident about 30 years ago. He sustained serious injuries and spent a month in the Intensive Care Unit. He was wearing just shorts and a T-shirt when the accident occurred. Thankfully, he has recovered from his injuries. Being the resilient person he is, and his passion for riding, he continues to ride his motorcycle. But now, when he starts his engine, he puts in practice the mantra “Gear Up, Ride Safe”. He makes it a point to put on safety gear such as his helmet, riding jacket, gloves and boots, before he rides off. He knows that this is a small gesture that can make a difference in keeping him safe.Mr Abdul Khaliff has decided to share his story as a TP Road Safety Champion, in the hope that his fellow riders can learn from his experience. He sets a good example for us all. He will be sharing his story later today. I hope you will take some time out to hear from him.

7.     I strongly encourage you to follow in his footsteps by volunteering as TP’s Road Safety Champions. Each of us can step forward to set a good example to others.

8.     As a motorcycling community, there are many ways we can come together to encourage one another to ride safely. I am impressed by the creative talent of some of our delivery rider friends. They have collaborated with Singapore Youth Award winning singer-songwriter Mr Shabir Tabare Alam, to produce a road safety jingle. This is their way of conveying a serious message – “Gear up, Ride Safe”. The jingle will be played later, so keep a lookout for that! It’s a really catchy tune and I’m sure you will love it.

9.     At the national level, Traffic Police will continue to engage the motorcycling community, and encourage all motorcyclists to be responsible road users. The Singapore Ride Safe campaign and Singapore Bike Show is a good example of such efforts. Singapore Road Safety Council and Traffic Police have worked hard to help organise this event. In the spirit of “Gear Up, Ride Safe”, they have organised a safety-gear modelling show, as well as road-safety talks. Traffic Police has also set up an exhibition area, to show everyone what the aftermath of an accident involving motorcyclists and pillion riders look like. Granted, getting into accidents is not something many of us like to think about. But the exhibits are a timely reminder of what we risk getting ourselves into if we are not careful. Hopefully, they will prompt us to think twice before taking unnecessary risks on the road. Please do view the exhibits later.

Conclusion

10.     With that, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Singapore Road Safety Council and Traffic Police for their sustained efforts in promoting road safety, as well as our sponsors and partners for their constant support. Do help us, by spreading the message of “Gear Up, Ride Safe” to your fellow riders. A timely reminder may be all it takes to prevent an accident.

11.     On this note, I am pleased to launch the Singapore Ride Safe 2018. Thank you, and remember to “Gear Up, Ride Safe”!