Red-light cameras to catch speeding motorists from 1 April, offence-prone areas prioritised

Red-light cameras to activate speeding function from 1 April as more fatal accidents recorded

Traffic cameras located across Singapore that have till now served to catch motorists beating the red light will start serving an extra function tomorrow.

They will be used to detect speeding motorists, said the Traffic Police.

Their activation will be prioritised at areas prone to violations or accidents.

Speeding function of red-light cameras activated from 1 April

The imminent activation of red-light cameras to catch speeding motorists was announced by the Singapore Police Force (SPF) in a statement on Saturday (30 March).

The speed function will be “progressively and dynamically” activated in cameras across the island from Monday (1 April).

Red-light cameras can be identified easily as they’re painted in orange with white stripes.

A sign would also placed before the camera indicating a “Traffic Police Camera Zone” with the speed limit above it.

Priority for activation at offence-prone areas

The police didn’t reveal which red-light cameras would be activated first.

However, they said priority for activation would be given to cameras located in areas that are more prone to accidents or traffic violations.

A total of 252 cameras have been installed across Singapore as of December 2023.

Motorists speeding when they think no one is watching: Police

A reason for the move is that motorists are still choosing to “speed at locations where they think no one is watching”, the police said.

They noted that fewer speeding violations were detected by cameras last year, with 73,152 cases in 2022 but only 52,237 cases in 2023.

In contrast, more speeding violations were caught by police enforcement operations, with 52,016 cases in 2022 and 63,468 cases in 2023 — an increase of 22%.

More fatal traffic accidents recorded

On 20 Feb, the police revealed that the number of traffic accidents resulting in deaths and injuries had increased between 2022 and 2023.

According to the 2023 Annual Road Traffic Situation report, Singapore roads recorded a:

• 26% increase in accidents resulting in fatalities
• 25.9% increase in onsite fatalities
• 2.4% increase in accidents resulting in injuries
• 5.8% increase in onsite injuries

More fatal accidents were due to red-light running, speeding and drink-driving, SPF also said.

Thus, they decided to activate the speed enforcement function in red-light cameras to improve motorist behaviour.

Motorists urged to avoid speeding even when no cameras are present

Additionally, the Traffic Police will take a tougher stance against irresponsible road users.

This will include an increase in composition sums and demerit points for certain traffic offences, more details of which will be announced later.

Errant motorists may face prosecution in court and licence suspension or revocation.

In cases resulting in grievous hurt or death, they may also be imprisoned.

The police thus urged motorists not to speed, even in areas where there are no cameras.

Also read: 6,500 Speeding Offences In Sengkang Since Sep 2019, Camera May Be Installed To Deter Speed Demons

6,500 Speeding Offences In Sengkang Since Sep 2019, Camera May Be Installed To Deter Speed Demons