Traffic Police’s Road Safety Day – Speech by Mr K Shanmugam, Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for Law

CP Dato’ Sri Mohd Yusri bin Haji Hassan Basri,

Director of Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department,

Royal Malaysia Police,

Mr Bernard Tay, Chairman,

Singapore Road Safety Council,

SAC Daniel Tan,

Commander, Traffic Police,

My Parliamentary Colleague – Associate Professor Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim,

Minister of State

Residents,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

1. I am very happy to be here today for the launch of Road Safety Day – the very first in the series.

The Traffic Situation

2. Why are we doing this? If you go back to 2020, since then, we have been seeing a very significant increase in the number of road accidents.

3. The numbers are still below the levels before COVID, but the way they are going up, is something that is of concern.

4. In 2024 – the year that has just passed - there were about 7,200 road accidents, and about 142 people died.

5. What that means is that every week, about two to three persons are dying from road accidents.

6. And one of the major factors is that when you speed, that increases the risk of accidents.

7. In 2024, 46 speeding-related accidents led to people dying – that was almost 44% increase from the previous year (2023).

8. And the number of people caught for speeding violations, has been the highest in the past 10 years – just under 200,000 – it is 192,000.

9. The Traffic Police has increased its enforcement, including activating the speed enforcement function in red-light cameras.

10. But increased enforcement, doing all of this, has not been enough. We discussed this, and we think we need to do more to change behaviour or shape behaviour.

Measures to Tackle Speeding

11. People are dying, getting injured on our roads. Every vehicle is a potential missile on the roads. It is dangerous if you do not use it properly.

12. So we have decided we have to increase the penalties - fines as well as demerit points will increase.

13. The details will be given by Traffic Police in due course.

14. But we will give time for people to adjust. So if you commit a speeding offence, the fines that will be imposed will continue to be the same, but you will get an advisory, saying that from 1 January 2026, if you speed, you will face a higher fine and you will get a higher demerit points. So people will get a number of months to get used to this idea, hopefully it will shape behaviour.

15. You will get the current fines and current demerit points, but they will also a letter that from next year onwards, if you did this, the fines and the points are going to be more.

16. The Police will meanwhile continue with enforcement, and step up enforcement. In fact, including daily roadblocks at different locations.

17. But enforcement is only one part of it. Everyone has a role – whether you are a driver, pedestrian, or cyclist – we have to build a culture in Singapore of making road safety as important, driving carefully, being focused while driving.

Engagement Efforts

18. This is why the Traffic Police, is also, while stepping up enforcement and increasing the penalties, are also working with many partners to bring this idea and culture of road safety into the heartlands.

19. So that every road user, pedestrian, cyclist, driver – everyone, understands the culture of road safety.

20. The first event, in this kick-off of public education, is being done here in Chong Pang.

21. It has taken a lot of planning – this Road Safety Day has a road safety concert, interactive demonstrations, safety exhibitions, and also many family-friendly activities, so children can come.

22. And so through these, we hope that more people will get an understanding and a better sense and the public education will get in.

23. Over the next two years, the Road Safety Day will travel to many other towns, so the message spreads.

Road Safety Outreach Taskforce

24. And also, to improve the delivery of the message, to improve public education, the Singapore Road Safety Council has taken the initiative to form a Road Safety Outreach Taskforce.

25. It will have public and private stakeholders, such as the Automobile Association of Singapore, Traffic Police, Land Transport Authority, and the Ministry of Education.

26. It has a number of initiatives planned, such as banners and collaterals to increase road safety awareness. And they will also use social media channels.

Conclusion

27. In closing, I would like to thank the Traffic Police, Singapore Road Safety Council, People’s Association, and our own Chong Pang Grassroots Organisation for organising this event.

28. I also wish to thank our partners, the Land Transport Authority and SBS Transit, for their strong support.

29. Your efforts will help save lives in Singapore.

30. The Government will do all we can, but we need our partners, and we need the people to come together.

31. Thank you very much.