Survey: One in Two Singaporean Drivers Feel Roads Are Less Safe Than Before

(Photo Credit: Business Times)

A survey done by AXA says almost one in two drivers feel that roads in Singapore are not as safe as they were three years ago.

The survey, which was released on Monday (26 November 2018), cited three main reasons for this conclusion. They were: an increase in aggressive drivers (72% of those surveyed), an increase of non-drivers—like personal mobility device (PMD) riders and cyclists—on the road (70%), and the rising number of private-hire vehicles (57%).

The results of the survey come after a 20% decrease in fatal accidents and 4% drop in accidents that resulted in injuries. The statistics were based on figures between 2015 and 2017 collected by the police.

The survey collected responses from 812 Singaporeans between the ages of 18 and 59 in April this year. It looked at the behaviours and experiences of road users, and their awareness of current mobility trends, for example.

The survey found that 48% of drivers felt less safe driving in Singapore as compared to three years ago. However, 81% of drivers thought that Singapore’s roads were still “quite safe” or “very safe”. This figure was higher than in 2015, when only 65% said so.

Besides drivers, 60% of cyclists and 63% of pedestrians surveyed also felt that their commutes were not as safe as three years ago. Their reasons include: more non-drivers on the road (82%), aggressive drivers (63%), and drivers who do not follow traffic rules (51%).

Both drivers and non-drivers also admitted to committing reckless behaviours on the roads. For example, 29% of drivers said that they have driven through a traffic junction when the light was amber.

In addition, one in four drivers admitted to travelling 10km/h or more over the posted speed limit or they have failed to stop at a zebra-crossing. For non-drivers, 63% admitted to jaywalking or failing to use a pedestrian crossing, 41% have failed to wear a seatbelt in the back seat of a car, and 33% have crossed the road while the red man was showing.

On the whole, 67% of Singaporeans admitted to breaking the law while on the road in the three months before the survey. Some of the reckless acts mentioned were speeding, turning without signalling, and texting while driving.

In other categories, 80% of those surveyed welcomed ride-hailing services on the road for their benefits. However, 48% thought that such services contributed to road accidents, while 45% of them felt that they posed as additional danger on the road.

AXA said that these perceptions could somewhat be justified. Over 90% of private-hire drivers have engaged in road behaviours that were seen as a violation of traffic laws in the three months before the survey.

According to the police, nearly 40% of accidents in the first half of 2018 involved jaywalking elderly pedestrians.

To help curb it, most people surveyed support developing elder-friendly infrastructure. 58% of respondents supported additional senior-friendly road-safety features, and 50% of respondents supported road crossings designed for elders. 46% of people also said that more should be done to engage and educate the elderly on road safety.

Speaking on the topic of seniors and road safety, AXA said, “As citizens, we should also play a part by slowing down in… estates (with more elders), and keep a closer lookout for (these) pedestrians when commuting on the road”.

AXA also added that to improve road safety, there is a need to reduce such risky road habits through awareness campaigns. Through such awareness campaigns, the road risks can be highlighted and the need to practice safer behaviour can be amplified.

To learn more about the findings of the survey, watch the video below or visit AXA.

Read more: LTA to Test New Guardrails in a Bid to Improve Road Safety

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