Written Reply to Parliamentary Question on Causes of Traffic Accidents Involving Lorries Where Workers were Transported in the Rear Deck in the Past Five Years

Question:

Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang : To ask the Minister for Home Affairs for each year in the past five years, for traffic accidents involving lorries where workers are being transported in the rear deck during the accident, what percentage of the accidents is attributed to (i) lorry driver fatigue (ii) the fault of the lorry driver and (iii) the fault of the driver of the other vehicle involved in the accident.

Answer:

Mr K Shanmugam, Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for Law:

1. The Traffic Police (TP) is only able to provide data on accidents involving lorries that were ferrying passengers, and which resulted in casualties or deaths. TP does not track the occupation of the passengers, if they are workers or otherwise, or if they were seated in the front or the rear of the lorry. TP also does not track whether the accident was attributed to fatigue.

2. Over the past five years, for all accidents involving lorries with passengers which resulted in casualties or deaths, the fault in about 45% of the accidents laid with the lorry driver, while the fault in about 56% of the accidents laid with the driver of the other vehicle.

3. The percentages do not add up to 100%, because there are accidents where fault is attributed to both the lorry driver, and the driver of the other vehicle. There are also cases where fault could not be attributed, due to insufficient evidence.