Fatal accidents & fatalities down, but accidents & casualties up in S'pore in 1st half of 2026

Fatal accidents and fatalities in Singapore declined in the first half of 2026 compared to the same period in 2025, the police said in a Aug. 28, 2026 news release on the mid-year road traffic situation.

Fatal accidents fell by 23.1 per cent to 60, while fatalities fell by 22.8 per cent to 61, compared with the same period in 2025, when there were 79 fatalities.

The reduction was largely due to fewer fatalities among motorcyclists and pillion riders.

However, the overall number of accidents and casualties have been increasing, the statement highlighted.

Overall traffic situation for January to June 2026

The traffic police said "the broader road traffic situation remains worrying".

"This underscores the need for further enforcement and policy measures to deter irresponsible road user behaviour and improve road safety," the police said.

Increase in accidents and casualties, decrease in fatal accidents and fatalities

The total number of accidents resulting in injuries or fatalities increased by 2.7 per cent to 3,929, while the total number of injured persons and fatalities increased by 3.6 per cent to 5,151 in the first half of 2026, compared with the same period in 2025.

The number of accidents resulting in injuries increased by 3.2 per cent to 3,869 in the first half of 2026, from 3,748 in the first half of 2025, while the number of injured persons also increased by 4.0 per cent to 5,090 in the first half of 2026, from 4,894 in the first half of 2025.

The number of fatal accidents decreased by 23.1 per cent to 60 in the first half of 2026, from 78 in the first half of 2025.

Fatalities had also decreased by 22.8 per cent to 61 in the first half of 2026, from 79 in the first half of 2025.

This was largely due to fewer fatalities among motorcyclists and pillion riders.

But motorcyclists, pillion riders, and elderly pedestrians continue to be the most vulnerable road user groups, and remain over-represented in traffic fatalities, it was observed.

Speeding violations

The number of speeding violations increased by 6.1 per cent to 126,976 in the first half of 2026, from 119,640 in the first half of 2025.

This may be attributed to enhanced enforcement operations and the activation of the speed enforcement function in more red-light cameras islandwide.

Speed-related accidents

The number of fatal speed-related accidents increased by 5.3 per cent to 20 in the first half of 2026, from 19 in the first half of 2025.

This was despite an overall decrease in speed-related accidents by 4.4 per cent to 437 in the first half of 2026, from 457 in the first half of 2025.

The number of red-light running violations decreased by 31.7 per cent to 9,454 in the first half of 2026, from 13,832 in the first half of 2025.

Red-light running violations and accidents

Correspondingly, the total number of red-light running accidents also decreased by 3.8 per cent to 102 in the first half of 2026, from 106 in the first half of 2025.

The number of fatal red-light running accidents also decreased to two in the first half of 2026, from four in the first half of 2025.

Drink-driving situation

The total number of drink-driving accidents decreased by 8.1 per cent to 68 in the first half of 2026, from 74 in the first half of 2025.

The number of fatal drink-driving accidents has also decreased to four in the first half of 2026, from five in the first half of 2025.

However, the number of persons arrested for drink-driving increased by 1.6 per cent to 888 in the first half of 2026, from 874 in the first half of 2025.

Parliament has passed the legislative amendments to lower the prescribed alcohol limits for drink-driving offences in July 2026.

The newly prescribed limits only indicate the point at which driving impairment begins.

"There is no 'safe' number of drinks before driving, and TP reminds all drivers to never drink and drive," the statement said.

Traffic accidents involving elderly pedestrians

The total number of accidents involving elderly pedestrians increased by 19.0 per cent to 144 in the first half of 2026, from 121 in the first half of 2025.

The number of elderly pedestrians injured in accidents increased by 24.5 per cent to 132 in the first half of 2026, from 106 in the first half of 2025.

Of the 132 cases reported in the first half of 2026, 38.9 per cent involved elderly pedestrians who engaged in unsafe pedestrian behaviour.

These include jaywalking and crossing outside of designated pedestrian crossings.

The number of elderly pedestrian fatalities decreased by 40 per cent to nine in the first half of 2026, from 15 in the first half of 2025.

However, they accounted for half of all pedestrian fatalities.

Traffic accidents involving motorcyclists

The total number of accidents involving motorcyclists increased by 4.3 per cent to 2,186 in the first half of 2026, from 2,096 in the first half of 2025.

The number of injured motorcyclists and pillion riders also increased by 5.8 per cent to 2,470 in the first half of 2026, from 2,335 in the first half of 2025.

Motorcyclists and pillion riders were involved in 55.6 per cent of all traffic accidents in the first half of 2026.

The top three causes of motorcyclist-involved accidents were failure to keep a proper lookout, failure to have proper control, and failure to exercise due care when changing lanes.

Motorcyclist and pillion rider fatalities decreased by 34.9 per cent to 28 in the first half of 2026, from 43 in the first half of 2025.

However, they remained the largest group of road users involved in fatal traffic accidents.

They also accounted for 45.9 per cent of all road deaths.

Sustained enforcement and public education

The trends underscore the need for sustained enforcement and public education, the statement said.

To deter irresponsible road user behaviour, enforcement measures have been implemented over the past two years.

They include expanded speeding enforcement operations and activation of speed enforcement functions in red-light cameras.

The number of speeding violations detected in the first half of 2026 alone was equivalent to the total number of speeding violations detected for the entire year of 2023, it was noted.

The new mobile traffic violation enforcement cameras were also introduced from Mar. 1, 2026.

This is coupled by enhanced penalties for speeding offences, effective from Jan. 1, 2026, which will attract more demerit points and higher composition fines across all speeding bands.

Enhanced penalties for road traffic offences committed within Friendly Streets, were also effective from Jan. 1, 2026, where offenders will incur an additional two demerit points and S$100 in composition sums on top of the existing penalties.

To target heavier vehicles, the expansion of the speed limiter regime for lorries saw 94.2 per cent and 98.9 per cent of lorries completing speed limiter installation in the first and second phase, respectively.

The offence of failing to ensure that a speed limiter is fitted carries a fine of up to S$1,000 or a jail term of up to three months.

Strict enforcement action has been taken against non-compliant lorry owners, including towing away lorries, requiring vehicle inspections, and penalising those who install speed limiters after the stipulated deadline.

The Ministry of Home Affairs has also strengthened legislative levers to improve road safety, with an amendment passed in parliament in August 2026 to strengthen accountability for egregious road conduct, further deter driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and enhance the traffic police's ability to detect and enforce against traffic offences.

The demerit points regime for Singapore driving licence holders to deter traffic violations and keep errant motorists off the roads for longer periods will be tightened from Jan. 1, 2027.