Increased police enforcement is one reason
By Bryna Sim, The Straits Times, 1 Jun 2012
GROWING numbers of motorists have been caught running red lights, Traffic Police figures revealed yesterday.
There were 5,400 such violations between January and March this year, 800 more than in the same period last year.
The issue was thrust into the spotlight last month following two serious accidents at the Victoria Street-Rochor Road junction in Bugis. Both allegedly involved cars running the red light.
The number of such cases has been on the rise in recent years. There were 17,490 in the whole of last year, up from 17,180 in 2010.
The number of such cases has been on the rise in recent years. There were 17,490 in the whole of last year, up from 17,180 in 2010.
The figures were released yesterday during a media briefing on the unit's road policing strategy.
Overall, they showed that the road traffic situation has been improving since 2010.
While violations such as speeding and the running of red lights have been on the rise, the number of motorists caught driving recklessly or dangerously has fallen.
There were 160 cases last year, down from 200 the year before.
Accidents that caused death and injury have also been on the decline.
Accidents that caused death and injury have also been on the decline.
The Traffic Police said there were 1,720 of them between January and March, down from 2,059 in the same period last year.
They added that Singapore's road accident fatality rate of 3.8 deaths per 100,000 people in 2010 was better than that of countries such as Japan, Australia and Switzerland.
Three people, however, died in a horrific accident last month at the Victoria Street-Rochor Road junction, where a Ferrari driven by a China national ran a red light and hit a ComfortDelGro taxi.
A second accident, which took place at the same spot last Saturday, involved a Lexus that also ran the red light before crashing into a taxi.
Kelvin Seah Koon Yong, the 30-year-old driver of the Lexus, was charged in court on Wednesday with drink driving and dangerous driving.
The Ferrari accident had sparked discussions over the issue of foreigners holding converted licences that allow them to drive on Singapore's roads.
Traffic Police commander Cheang Keng Keong said yesterday that there were about 369,000 of these motorists in Singapore at the end of last year.
But only 0.1 per cent of them had contributed to traffic accidents here.
Assistant Commissioner of Police Cheang also revealed that there was an ongoing review aimed at tightening requirements for converting the licences of foreign motorists who ferry goods or people during the course of their work in Singapore.
Asked whether the Traffic Police will consider making it more difficult for foreigners to convert their licences in future, AC Cheang said that reviewing policies was a 'continuous process'.
He added that whether or not any changes were made depended on the prevailing conditions.
In the meantime, the Traffic Police will be keeping up their training and testing programmes to equip motorists with the necessary driving skills, and will continue to promote road safety.
Traffic Police to ramp up enforcement, review drink-driving laws
By Bryna Sim, The Straits Times, 1 Jun 2012
By Bryna Sim, The Straits Times, 1 Jun 2012
THE police will ramp up their enforcement efforts against errant motorists, and review drink-driving laws as well as other traffic offences, said the Commander of Traffic Police, Assistant Commissioner Cheang Keng Keong, yesterday.
The Traffic Police already conduct daily operations with regard to offences such as dangerous driving, speeding and running red lights.
These efforts are complemented by the use of red-light enforcement cameras, which have been operational since 1986.
Static and portable speed cameras are also used.
But since last year, the Traffic Police have been digitising their enforcement cameras so that summonses can be issued more quickly.
They have also stepped up public outreach efforts, reaching 244,000 people last year - up from 221,000 in 2010 - by using new media platforms and other engagement programmes.
Since the two accidents at the Victoria Street-Rochor Road junction last month, said AC Cheang, the Traffic Police have been paying closer attention to the area.
But when asked whether more safety measures such as speed bumps would be introduced at that junction, he said he would need to discuss that with the Land Transport Authority.
Asked if the Rochor-Victoria junction was safe, he said: 'Every spot (of the road) is potentially dangerous... It's not just about one junction.'
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