Road accidents and injuries rise in first half of 2026 despite fewer deaths
Singapore police reported on Friday that road traffic accidents and casualties rose in the first six months of 2026 compared with the same period last year, even as fatal accidents and deaths fell.
Source: Channel NewsAsia · August 28, 2026 at 9:39 AM · AI-assisted report
Single-source
SINGAPORE, KUALA LUMPUR, BUKIT TIMAH EXPRESSWAY (BKE), 28 AUGUST 2026 —
Singapore police reported on Friday that road traffic accidents and casualties rose in the first six months of 2026 compared with the same period last year, even as fatal accidents and deaths fell.
Market Impact
Traffic accidents causing injury or death climbed 2.7% to 3,929 from 3,826 in January-June 2025, while total casualties increased 3.6% from 4,973 to 5,151, according to the mid-year traffic report. Fatal accidents fell 22.8% to 60 from 78, and road deaths dropped 22.8% to 61 from 79.
The police attributed the decline in fatalities mainly to fewer deaths among motorcyclists and pillion riders. They cautioned that the longer-term trend remains worrying, noting road deaths have climbed every year since 2020, reaching a decade-high of 149 in 2025.
Elderly pedestrians and motorcyclists remain the most vulnerable groups. Accidents involving elderly pedestrians rose 19% to 132 cases, up from 106, with 38.9% linked to unsafe behaviour such as jaywalking and crossing outside designated crossings. Though pedestrian fatalities fell 40% to nine, this group still accounted for half of all pedestrian deaths in the period.
Motorcyclists and pillion riders were involved in 2,186 accidents, up from 2,096, and accounted for 55.6% of all road accidents and 45.9% of road deaths. The top causes were failure to keep a proper lookout, loss of control and failure to exercise due care when changing lanes.
Speeding violations surged 6.1% to 126,976, with police citing enhanced enforcement and wider use of red-light cameras. Red-light running violations fell 31.7% and related accidents declined to 102 from 106.
Drink-driving arrests edged up 1.6% to 888 from 874, while drink-driving accidents dropped 8.1% and fatalities fell to four from five.
Police are testing average-speed enforcement on expressways using camera systems that calculate vehicle speeds over a section of road. Cameras at entry and exit points flag vehicles exceeding the average speed limit, though no summons will be issued during the trial.
Traffic Police commander Serene Chiu said the drop in fatalities is encouraging but emphasised that the rising trend in accidents and injuries shows more work is needed.
“Road safety is a shared responsibility and all road users must play their part,” she said.
Related: Serene Chiu