Fatalities from traffic accidents rose by 4.9% in 2025, elderly pedestrians a significant concern
The Singapore Police Force (SPF) has expressed concern after 149 people died in road traffic accidents last year, a 4.9% increase from 2024.
This “persistent upward trend” over the last five years is “worrying”, SPF said in its Annual Road Traffic Situation Report released on Thursday (26 Feb).
Source: Singapura Channel on Facebook
Number of fatal traffic accidents & accident fatalities both rose in 2025
According to SPF, both the number of fatal road traffic accidents and the number of fatalities from these accidents have steadily risen over the last five years.
The figure of 149 fatalities recorded last year is the highest in 10 years, according to The Straits Times.
The number of fatal road traffic accidents in 2025 was 147 — a 5.8% increase from the 139 in 2024.
Source: Singapore Police Force
The fatality rate from traffic accidents per 100,000 population also increased to 2.44 in 2025, up from 2.35 in 2024.
Source: Singapore Police Force
The number of people injured in traffic accidents also jumped by 6.6% to 9,955 in 2025. The number of traffic accidents that led to injuries rose by a greater percentage of 7.2% to 7,560.
Source: Singapore Police Force
Accidents involving elderly pedestrians ‘a significant concern’
Elderly pedestrians continued to be overrepresented in the number of pedestrian fatalities, with 27 elderly pedestrians killed in traffic accidents in 2025, SPF said.
This is a massive 145.5% increase from the 11 cases in 2024.
More elderly pedestrians were also injured in traffic accidents in 2025 — 222, up 15% compared with the 193 in 2024.
247 elderly pedestrians were involved in traffic accidents last year, a 21.7% increase from the 203 in 2024.
SPF noted that seniors comprised 12.9% of Singapore’s population last year, but they were involved in 75% of all fatal traffic accidents involving pedestrians.
Moreover, 75% of pedestrians who died in traffic accidents were elderly.
Thus, accidents involving elderly pedestrians continued to be “a significant concern”, SPF added.
More motorcyclists & pillions involved in accidents
Motorcyclists are another group of road users who are disproportionately represented in traffic accidents with casualties or fatalities.
While motorcycles make up about 15% of Singapore’s total vehicle population last year, motorcyclists and pillion riders were involved in 54.8% of all traffic accidents, SPF saod.
53% of people who died in traffic accidents were also motorcyclists and pillion riders.
This is borne out by the fact that there was a 6.4% increase to 4,227 in the number of accidents involving motorcyclists in 2025. More motorcyclists and pillion riders were also injured in accidents — 4,844, up 7.4% compared with the 4,510 in 2024.
However, fewer motorcyclists and pillion riders died in accidents last year — 79, a decrease of 7.1% compared with the 85 in 2024.
There was also a 9.2% decrease in fatal accidents involving motorcyclists and pillion riders: 79 in 2025, from 87 the previous year.
Failure to keep a proper lookout the most common cause of accidents
According to SPF, traffic accidents most commonly occurred last year when drivers:
- Failed to keep a proper lookout (52%)
- Failed to have adequate control of the vehicle (11%)
- Changed lanes without due care (7%)
There was a marked increase (27.1%) in accidents caused by running the red light, even as the number of violations caught went down by 14.1%.
Seven people died from accidents related to red-light running, one more than in 2024.
Source: Singapore Police Force
While more drivers (25.9%) were caught speeding, the number of speeding-related accidents decreased by 5.9%.
41 people died in accidents related to speeding, five fewer than the 46 in 2024.
Source: Singapore Police Force
As for drink driving, fewer were nabbed (4%) for the offence and fewer accidents (6%) caused by the offence were recorded.
12 people died from drink-driving accidents in 2025, the same number as in 2024.
Source: Singapore Police Force
150.9% increase in speeding violations detected
In order to address the upward trend, the Traffic Police (TP) will intensify its enforcement efforts.
One way it will do this is by activating the speed enforcement function in more red-light cameras across Singapore, especially at locations that are accident-prone or violation-prone.
Source: Singapore Police Force on Facebook
Since it activated this function in more cameras last year, TP recorded a significant increase in speeding violations.
54,612 speeding violations were detected in 2025, a 150.9% increase from the 21,768 in 2024, SPF noted, adding:
This trend suggests a persistent lack of speed compliance among motorists at traffic junctions, which typically have higher pedestrian traffic. The risk and likelihood of traffic accidents at such locations are high.
New cameras to be deployed from 1 March
New Traffic Violation Enforcement Cameras (TVEC) will also be deployed from 1 March, following a successful trial.
These can detect violations in real time and capture them on video, including:
- Crossing double white lines
- Red-light running
- Not obeying directional signs
- Riding on footways
The TVECs, which are easily recognisable with their orange and white colour scheme, will be installed at nine locations with clear warning signs.
Source: Singapore Police Force on Facebook
Another advanced technology TP is exploring is the Handheld Breath Evidential Analyser (HBEA), which allows officers to conduct court-admissible breath tests directly at roadside stops.
A trial for the HBEA started on 5 Sept last year.
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Featured image adapted from Singapura Channel on Facebook and Yunn Woo on Facebook.
