SINGAPORE, Sept 8 — As traffic volumes increased with the easing of Covid-19 restrictions, the number of road accidents also rose during the first half of this year compared with the same period in 2021. However, fatal accidents fell in the same period.

Accidents involving motorcyclists and elderly pedestrians continue to account for a disproportionate number of traffic accidents and fatalities and remain a “key concern”, said the Singapore Police Force today.

Releasing the mid-year traffic situation report, the police also said that the number of people arrested for drink-driving increased, along with speeding related violations and accidents.

At the same time, the number of drunk-driving accidents and red-light running violations and accidents decreased in the first half of 2022 year-on-year.

Injuries rise, fatalities fall

The total number of traffic accidents resulting in injuries or fatalities increased by 4.9 per cent, from 3,012 in the first half of 2021 to 3,159 in the same period in 2022.

However, the number of accidents resulting in fatalities decreased by 15.4 per cent, from 52 accidents to 44 year-on-year.

The number of fatalities also fell, by 22.4 per cent from 58 to 45 in this period.

Increase in speeding

The number of red-light running violations decreased by 4.7 per cent, from 24,362 in the first half of 2021, to 23,217 in the same period in 2022.

The number of red-light running accidents also fell by 4.7 per cent, from 64 to 61.

The number of speeding-related infringements increased by 4.2 per cent, from 66,480 in the first half of 2021, to 69,291 in the first half of 2022.

The number of speeding-related accidents rose by 2.7 per cent from 474 to 487 over this period.

Elderly pedestrian deaths surge

Accidents involving elderly pedestrians increased from 103 in the first half of 2021, to 117 in the same period in 2022 About 45.3 per cent of all pedestrian accidents involving elderly pedestrians were attributed to jaywalking in the first half of 2022 Elderly pedestrian fatalities increased from five in the first half of 2021, to nine in the same period of 2022.

Similarly, the number of injuries suffered by elderly pedestrians also increased from 100 to 109 over this period.

Accidents involving the elderly made up 37.1 per cent of total pedestrian accidents, 35.5 per cent of pedestrian injuries and 81.8 per cent of pedestrian fatalities in the first half of 2022.

Rise in motorcycle accidents, fall in fatalities

Accidents involving motorcyclists increased slightly by 1.3 per cent, from 1,711 accidents in the first half of 2021, to 1,733 in the same period in 2022.

Motorcyclist and pillion rider fatalities decreased from 26 to 25.

The number of injured motorcyclists and pillion riders increased slightly from 1,816 to 1,844 over this period.

Motorcyclists and pillion riders were involved in 54.9 per cent of overall traffic accidents and made up 55.6 per cent of traffic fatalities in the first half of 2022. — TODAY