Mystique
17-03-2006, 01:35 AM
Thursday March 16, 10:17 PM
Pedestrians caught for traffic offences up 75% in 2005
SINGAPORE : Fewer people were killed or injured on Singapore roads last year and there were also fewer traffic offences.
Some 6,705 people were killed or injured on the roads in 2005, down two percent from the previous year.
Traffic offences fell six percent to 351,977, according to the annual road traffic situation report.
But jaywalkers beware -- more people were caught for pedestrian offences last year, up 75 percent to 7,000.
The Traffic Police says it will continue to take a targeted approach at errant pedestrians.
Each offence carries a fine of S$20 but it can go up to S$100 if brought to court.
About 700 pedestrians were injured or killed on the roads last year and of the number who died, more than half were the elderly, aged 60 and above.
To prevent this, the Traffic Police will be conducting public education talks at senior citizens clubs islandwide.
The elderly are advised to wear brighter colours so they will be more conspicuous to drivers.
On parking offences, 204,521 tickets were issued last year; 140,405 summons were also given out for moving offences such as speeding or careless driving.
On drink-driving, the number of related accidents dropped by 10 percent to 213 in 2005, but the number of people arrested for the offence shot up by 24 percent to 3,641.
Said Ng Guat Ting, Commander, Traffic Police, "We did not actually step up enforcement, in that the number of road blocks remained relatively the same. But what we noticed is that more people are being spotted for drink-driving at the road blocks. My sense is that there may be more people drinking but I have no statistics on it.
"Our survey shows that almost 85 percent of the people whom we caught are aware of the seriousness of drink-driving, and they are aware of the message that when they drink, they should not drive. But about 60 percent of them think that they would not be caught -- that's the mindset we need to look into and change among motorists."
The Traffic Police will put out more emotive advertising campaigns against drink-driving, and road safety officers will also go to hawker centres to place table top advertisements encouraging patrons not to drink and drive.
Traffic Police also say they will get entertainment outlets to provide car jockey services.
Another worrying statistic is that biker deaths, which made up 55 percent of all road fatalities, rose 6 percent from 2004.
The Traffic Police will engage motorcycle clubs in educational institutions as well as recreational clubs to spread the safe riding messages this year.
Last year, over a thousand traffic-related education talks and exhibitions were conducted.
Pedestrians caught for traffic offences up 75% in 2005
SINGAPORE : Fewer people were killed or injured on Singapore roads last year and there were also fewer traffic offences.
Some 6,705 people were killed or injured on the roads in 2005, down two percent from the previous year.
Traffic offences fell six percent to 351,977, according to the annual road traffic situation report.
But jaywalkers beware -- more people were caught for pedestrian offences last year, up 75 percent to 7,000.
The Traffic Police says it will continue to take a targeted approach at errant pedestrians.
Each offence carries a fine of S$20 but it can go up to S$100 if brought to court.
About 700 pedestrians were injured or killed on the roads last year and of the number who died, more than half were the elderly, aged 60 and above.
To prevent this, the Traffic Police will be conducting public education talks at senior citizens clubs islandwide.
The elderly are advised to wear brighter colours so they will be more conspicuous to drivers.
On parking offences, 204,521 tickets were issued last year; 140,405 summons were also given out for moving offences such as speeding or careless driving.
On drink-driving, the number of related accidents dropped by 10 percent to 213 in 2005, but the number of people arrested for the offence shot up by 24 percent to 3,641.
Said Ng Guat Ting, Commander, Traffic Police, "We did not actually step up enforcement, in that the number of road blocks remained relatively the same. But what we noticed is that more people are being spotted for drink-driving at the road blocks. My sense is that there may be more people drinking but I have no statistics on it.
"Our survey shows that almost 85 percent of the people whom we caught are aware of the seriousness of drink-driving, and they are aware of the message that when they drink, they should not drive. But about 60 percent of them think that they would not be caught -- that's the mindset we need to look into and change among motorists."
The Traffic Police will put out more emotive advertising campaigns against drink-driving, and road safety officers will also go to hawker centres to place table top advertisements encouraging patrons not to drink and drive.
Traffic Police also say they will get entertainment outlets to provide car jockey services.
Another worrying statistic is that biker deaths, which made up 55 percent of all road fatalities, rose 6 percent from 2004.
The Traffic Police will engage motorcycle clubs in educational institutions as well as recreational clubs to spread the safe riding messages this year.
Last year, over a thousand traffic-related education talks and exhibitions were conducted.