Oral Reply to Parliamentary Question on Accidents Caused by Heavy Vehicles and Foreign Drivers by Mr Amrin Amin, Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs

Question

Ms Joan Pereira: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs (a) how many buses, goods vehicles and heavy vehicles have been involved in accidents in the last five years; (b) how many of these accidents have been caused by drivers holding work permits and S-Passes; and (c) what measures are there to help bolster the efforts of our enforcement officers.

Answer:

1. In the last five years, there were on average each year 791 injury and 39 fatal accidents involving heavy vehicles, including buses and goods vehicles.

2. For accidents in which the heavy vehicle drivers were found to be at fault, around 45% of the drivers were foreigners, including work permit and S-pass holders.

3. The Traffic Police (TP) leverages technology, for example speeding and red-running cameras, to bolster its enforcement efforts. Clear warning signs are erected before the TP camera enforcement zones to remind motorists to be careful and slow down. Next year, TP will be deploying Average Speed Cameras to detect and compute the average speed of a vehicle as it enters and exits the enforcement zone. These cameras will ensure that motorists drive at safe speeds along the entire stretch of the road.

4. TP will also conduct a tachograph trial on heavy vehicles this year. The tachograph tracks and records the vehicle's speed and other driving information. Companies that are involved in the trial will be able to track their drivers' tachograph records, and improve their drivers' driving behaviour.

5. Public education is also key to improving road safety. TP educates and engages heavy vehicle drivers on road safety and good driving practices. One example is the 'Use Your RoadSense' movement, which was launched two years ago. Through regular dialogues and social media platforms, the movement encourages good driving behaviour and personal responsibility amongst different road users, including heavy vehicle drivers.