South Bridge Road in Singapore’s Chinatown district. (Wikimedia/Jakub Hałun)
Second Minister for Home Affairs Sim Ann stated that the legislation aims to increase accountability for the “most egregious road conduct,” heightening deterrence against driving under the influence.
The Bill was approved after being debated for over six hours by 27 Members of Parliament (MPs) from both sides. The session highlighted key concerns, including whether the tougher punishments remained too lenient, the possibility of implementing income-based fines and leveraging advanced technology to improve traffic enforcement.
Additionally, laws banning the physical holding of mobile phones while driving were also approved. Traffic Police will deploy highly accurate roadside testing devices so drivers no longer need to be taken to a lock-up for testing.
The enactment of the Road Traffic Bill stems from an urgent need to decisively arrest a worsening road safety crisis in Singapore, as road fatalities reached a 10-year high of 149 deaths, averaging almost one death every two days. Between 2021 and 2025, the traffic fatality rate increased by 24%, while total traffic violations jumped by 38%.
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