Singapore’s new road safety initiative urges people to look out for each other

SINGAPORE: Traffic deaths in Singapore reached a 10-year high last year, prompting authorities to roll out a new public campaign to remind everyone on the road to look out for each other. The initiative, called “Road Users on Watch,” was launched by the Traffic Police on March 7. It seeks to improve awareness among drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians about how their behaviour affects others on the road.

According to traffic statistics released earlier this year, 149 people died in road accidents in 2025. The figure rose from 142 deaths in 2024 and marked the highest toll in a decade, according to 8world News.

Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs Sim Ann pointed out that road safety is not something a single group can manage on its own. The safety of cyclists, pedestrians, and motorists is closely linked. A vehicle driver’s attention, a cyclist’s riding habits, and a pedestrian’s care at crossings all influence whether a journey ends safely. She explained that road use is built on interaction. When people recognise they share the road, they move from thinking only about themselves to looking out for others as well. The new campaign tries to make that idea practical, whereby participants will receive road safety advisories and guidance on common risks such as blind spots, safe following distance, and proper crossing habits.

The programme also demonstrates how small actions can affect others, such as how cyclists can disappear into blind spots from a vehicle driver’s view. Pedestrians are reminded that patience at crossings can prevent accidents. Cyclists are encouraged to ride responsibly on shared paths. Members of the public can also attend roadshows and talks designed to build better awareness of road etiquette.

The campaign was introduced at the first SaferSG Together roadshow at the Suntec Singapore Convention and Exhibition Centre. The event is part of a wider effort to bring communities closer to the police on issues such as crime prevention, scam awareness, road safety, and emergency readiness, Channel NewsAsia (CNA) reported.

Traffic enforcement remains important, but the new initiative highlights another reality: Many accidents start with small lapses in attention. A glance at a phone. A rushed crossing. A vehicle passing too close to a cyclist.

The Traffic Police hope that reminding people of these everyday moments will help lower accident numbers over time. In other words, safer roads may depend less on rules alone and more on how people treat one another when they share the same stretch of asphalt.

Read related: Singapore to lower drink-driving limit to 15 micrograms as road deaths reach 10-year high