Singapore's roads have become the deadliest in a decade, with 149 people losing their lives in traffic accidents in 2025, which is the highest toll in 10 years.
The figure marks a sharp rise from 142 deaths in 2024 and 141 in 2016. The number of people injured also climbed significantly, from 9,342 in 2024 to 9,955 in 2025.
Particularly alarming to authorities is the spike in elderly pedestrian deaths. Of the 36 pedestrians who died in 2025, 27 were seniors — more than double the 11 recorded in 2024. All of them were pedestrians.
TP to Step Up Enforcement Efforts
The Singapore Traffic Police (TP) released its annual road traffic statistics on Thursday, February 26, and described the persistent upward trend in accidents as worrying.
Fatal accidents increased from 139 cases in 2024 to 147 cases in 2025. Injury-causing accidents also rose, from 7,053 cases to 7,560.
To curb the worsening situation, TP said it will step up enforcement efforts, including activating speed enforcement functions in more red-light cameras.
Speeding remains a major concern. In 2025, 253,550 speeding violations were recorded — up sharply from 201,358 in 2024. That translates to roughly 695 motorists being caught for speeding every day.
While speeding-related accidents fell slightly from 547 to 515 cases, and fatal speeding-related accidents dipped from 46 to 41, red-light running incidents surged. Accidents linked to red-light violations jumped from 96 to 122 cases, resulting in seven fatal accidents in 2025 — one more than the year before.
Drink Driving Cases Declined
Drink driving arrests declined from 1,788 in 2024 to 1,716 in 2025, and related accidents fell from 166 to 156 cases. However, 12 people died in drink-driving accidents in both 2024 and 2025.
"Every instance represents a deliberate choice that puts both the driver and innocent road users at grave risk," TP said. "Drink driving accidents often result in horrific and devastating consequences, with severe injuries and fatalities, consequences that could entirely have been prevented."
Motorcyclists continue to account for a disproportionate share of casualties. Although motorcycles make up about 15% of Singapore's vehicle population, motorcyclists and pillion riders were involved in 54.8% of all traffic accidents and made up 53% of fatalities.
Accidents involving motorcyclists rose from 3,973 cases in 2024 to 4,227 in 2025. The number of injured motorcyclists and pillion riders increased from 4,510 to 4,844. However, fatal accidents involving motorcyclists fell from 87 to 79 cases, with fatalities dropping from 85 to 79.
Elderly pedestrians remain another key area of concern. Accidents involving them increased from 203 cases in 2024 to 247 in 2025. Injuries among elderly pedestrians also rose, from 193 to 222.
Jaywalking Played Significant Role
Jaywalking was a factor in 18 fatal accidents across 2024 and 2025. In 2025 alone, 15 of such cases involved elderly pedestrians, more than double the seven cases recorded in 2024.
Speaking at a media briefing, TP commander Senior Assistant Commissioner Daniel Tan said that more than half of all accidents in 2025 were caused by motorists failing to keep a proper lookout.
Such examples included a driver turning without noticing a pedestrian, a motorcyclist riding on an expressway while looking at his phone, and a cyclist crossing the road without checking for traffic.
"It doesn't have to be a boy racer with golden hair. It doesn't have to be a car driver with a string of antecedents and suspension records. It can be somebody with a clean record," he said at the media briefing. "Today, I want to convey this point clearly to everyone who uses the road, that an accident can happen (to anyone)."
Handphone-related driving violations surged by 39.1%, rising from 3,014 cases in 2024 to 4,193 in 2025. Other common causes of accidents included failing to maintain proper control of vehicles and changing lanes without due care.
"All road users must stay alert to their surroundings and never assume that other road users have seen them," TP said. "This simple act of keeping a proper lookout can prevent the majority of accidents and save lives."
In response to the rising fatalities, the Ministry of Home Affairs and TP have implemented tougher penalties for speeding since January 1 and expanded speed limiter requirements for lorries. As of February 1, more than 80% of affected lorries had installed speed limiters ahead of the July 1 deadline.
New Traffic Rules from March 1
From March 1, new Traffic Violation Enforcement Cameras, marked with orange and white stripes, will be operational. These cameras use video analytics and automatic number plate recognition to detect offences such as ignoring directional signs and stopping in yellow boxes.
TP also raised safety standards for motorcycle helmets and child restraint systems.
Ultimately, authorities stressed that enforcement alone is not enough. They said that road safety depends on a culture of mutual respect and graciousness.
Simple acts such as maintaining a three-second following distance, slowing down near junctions, giving way to pedestrians and staying patient during peak hours could make the difference between life and death.
