Road safety has been in the spotlight in parliament with a high-profile accident in Tampines that killed two people, including a teenage girl, last month prompting questions from MPs.
In response to questions from various MPs, the Ministry of Home Affairs said on Tuesday it will not be increasing the penalties for dangerous driving for now.
Nevertheless, LTA will continue to review, develop and implement programmes to enhance road safety.
MOTORCYCLE LANES “NOT FEASIBLE”
MP Murali Pillai (PAP-Bukit Batok) also suggested on Wednesday a proposal to construct motorcycle lanes on expressways, in light of the continued increase in motorcycle-related fatalities on such routes.
Last month, a 26-year-old motorcyclist was killed in an accident involving a lorry along the Pan Island Expressway (PIE), and in November 2023, a motorcyclist died after a man with schizophrenia jumped out of a minibus along the East Coast Parkway (ECP), causing an accident.
In February, the police said that motorcyclists and elderly pedestrians are the most vulnerable groups of road users, and continue to account for a disproportionate number of traffic accidents resulting in injuries or death.
While motorcycles only make up 14.4 per cent of the total vehicle population, motorcyclists or pillion riders were involved in 53.5 per cent of all traffic accidents and accounted for half of all traffic fatalities, they added.
“Compared to 2022, the number of fatal accidents in 2023 involving motorcyclists and elderly pedestrians increased by 44.0 per cent and 13.0 per cent respectively,” the police said.
Addressing the concern raised by Mr Murali, Mr Chee said LTA has implemented engineering measures to improve the safety of motorcyclists and pillion riders.
These include the use of more skid resistant road surfaces, the implementation of wider and more prominent lane markings to encourage motorists to keep in lane, and the building of motorcycle rain shelters below flyovers.
However, “it is not feasible to construct motorcycle lanes on expressways given our land constraints, and also because many expressway sections are viaducts, flyovers and tunnels which are not wide enough to construct additional motorcycle lanes,” he said.
Mr Chee added that the government remains committed to improving the safety of motorcyclists, as well as other road users, and will continue to work on various initiatives and measures to enhance road safety.
“The LTA, Traffic Police (TP), and the Singapore Road Safety Council (SRSC) have various outreach activities to engage key stakeholder groups annually,” he said.
“This includes the Singapore Road Safety Month, and the Singapore Ride Safe Campaign, which encourage all road users to do their part in making our roads safe, and motorcyclists to practise safe riding habits.”
