In this post-COVID period, it appears that some drivers have not discarded such bad behaviour. The Singapore Police Force said on Apr 29 that over 800 speeding violations were detected in just three weeks since the speed enforcement function was activated in red-light cameras.
It is time to take firm action to discourage such bad driving behaviour before it becomes ingrained in some motorists.
LOWER SPEED LIMITS
Singapore could consider lowering its 50kmh speed limit in built-up areas such as the Central Business District and Housing Development Board (HDB) town centres to 40kmh, in line with other cities like Tokyo, London, Sydney and Toronto.
These are the locations where there are human activities that lead to potential traffic accidents. On long stretches of roads where pedestrians and cyclists are absent, like expressways, it makes sense to keep present speed limits to ease mobility.
Reducing speed limits in urban areas will reduce the number of fatalities. The higher the speed at which a collision occurs, the greater the damage or injury.
If a pedestrian is hit by a car travelling at 30kmh, the probability of fatality is 10 per cent. At 40kmh, it is 35 per cent, and at 50kmh, it is 55 per cent.
Singapore drivers tend to see speed limits as an assurance that they can always drive at that speed. But speed limits are what authorities consider as the maximum safe speed for the road.
Singapore has already reduced speed limits to 30kmh to 40kmh in locations where there are more pedestrians like school zones and silver zones.
