SINGAPORE — According to the Traffic Police (TP) annual statistics report released on Tuesday, there has been a significant increase in the number of elderly pedestrians dying in traffic accidents.
There were 23 fatalities involving elderly pedestrians in 2022, a 53.3 per cent increase from the 15 fatalities in 2021.
The number of seniors aged 60 and above injured in pedestrian-related accidents also increased from 193 in 2021 to 213 in 2022.
TP also reported an increase in traffic accident deaths from 107 in 2021 to 108 in 2022.
Of the pedestrian-related fatal accidents in 2022, 70 per cent involved seniors aged 60 and above, with seniors jaywalking accounting for 73.9 per cent of fatal accidents involving elderly pedestrians.
Senior Assistant Commissioner Gerald Lim, Commander of TP, urged elderly pedestrians to take note of their reduced mobility and to practice good road safety habits, including looking out for traffic before crossing roads, even when using pedestrian and zebra crossings.
TP is working with the People’s Association and elderly homes to educate seniors on the importance of road safety.
The number of people injured in traffic accidents increased from 7,240 in 2021 to 8,252 in 2022. However, this figure is still lower than the 9,833 injuries reported in 2019 before the Covid-19 pandemic began.
Assistant Superintendent of Police Siti Haira Batra highlighted that elderly pedestrians and motorcyclists remain overrepresented in accidents, and TP reminded all road users to exercise responsibility and graciousness.
The number of motorists running red lights decreased by 2.3 per cent, from 44,745 cases in 2021 to 43,697 in 2022.
Accidents caused by running red lights also fell from 136 cases in 2021 to 132 in 2022. However, the number of speeding-related accidents increased by 14.2 per cent, from 984 cases in 2021 to 1,124 in 2022.
In 2022, there were 170 drink-driving accidents, an increase from 155 in 2021. The increase coincided with the resumption of nightlife activities in April 2022, and 10 people died in drink-driving accidents in 2022, which is more than the eight in 2021. The number of people nabbed for drink-driving rose by 16 per cent from 1,453 in 2021 to 1,685 in 2022.
There were 3,854 motorcyclists and pillion riders involved in traffic accidents in 2022, representing 56.1 per cent of all accidents, which is an increase from 3,464 in 2021. 4,165 motorcyclists and pillion riders were injured, and 47 died in 2022, three fewer than in 2021.
TP plans to launch an online mock theory test in 2023 to help motorists stay updated on the latest traffic signs and rules since several changes have been made over the years.
SAC Lim believes that continuous education and engagement, in addition to enforcement action, are necessary to bring down traffic accidents.
The online mock theory test mirrors the requirements of the tests that all motorists need to pass to drive or ride motorcycles, and learners can review their answers at the end of each session and access the free test via Singpass.
