Traffic-related injuries and accidents rise in H1 2025

Statistics published in the Traffic Police's (TP) mid-year traffic situation report for 2025 have (unfortunately) affirmed the upward trend in road traffic accidents and casualties - one that has been observed in Singapore over the past three years.

Specifically, the first half of 2025 saw an 8.9% increase in the number of traffic accidents resulting in injuries and fatalities to a total of 3,818, compared to the 3,507 accidents noted in the first half of 2024.

The number of injured persons and fatalities from traffic accidents saw a 4.3% spike between H1 2024 and H1 2025

The number of injured persons and fatalities also saw a 4.3% spike to 4,939 for the period, up from 4,737 in H1 2024. Among them were 79 fatalities - a 9.7% increase from the 72 fatalities in the same period last year.

The TP also revealed that vulnerable users (in particular, elderly pedestrians aged 65 and above, as well as motorcyclists and their pillion riders) continued to make up a disproportionate number of these fatalities.

With 118,076 incidences recorded, the first half of 2025 also saw a massive 45.5% spike in recorded speeding violations - up from 81,141 in the first half of 2024.

It's worth noting that the comparison is not an entirely direct one, given the more recent intensification of speed enforcement efforts. Since 1 April 2024, a number of red-light cameras islandwide have also been activated with speed enforcement functions.

Those caught flouting the speed limit will be slapped with harsher penalties come 2026

Here's perhaps also one silver lining: The number of speeding-related accidents (including fatal ones) experienced a dip between H1 2024 and H1 2025. Come 2026, the authorities will take speeding offences to task even more severely too, with offenders set to be slapped on the wrist with harsher penalties.

Other notable revelations in the TP's mid-year report include an 18.5% dip in the overall number of drink-driving accidents. While the number of red-light running violations decreased by 25.3%, the number of red-light running accidents experienced a 38.4% increase. 

Expressing its concern about the traffic accident trends, the TP has stated that it will increase the intensity of three-pronged approach (enforcement, education, and engagement) to enhance road safety.

The TP will continue its three-pronged 'Enforcement, Education, Engagement' approach to enhance road safety (Image credit: Singapore Police Force)

The enforcement front comprises the aforementioned enhanced penalties for speeding offences, the installation of speed limiters in lorries (which has thus far shown promising safety outcomes), and a review of motorcycle helmet standards. More details are set to be announced specifically for the latter.

In tandem, the TP will soon commence testing of new Traffic Violation Enforcement Cameras, which target various technical traffic violations including illegal U-turns and crossing double white lines.

The TP will also continue its education and engagement efforts, and build upon the groundwork it has laid for 2025 thus far. The authority states that it has reached out to more than 150,000 people, with one of its most efforts coming in June 2025, when it partnered with the Singapore Road Safety Council (SRSC) for the annual Singapore Road Safety Month campaign.