Fatal road accidents have been on a worrying rise in Singapore, claiming 136 lives in 2023. Recent car crashes warrant reflection on the causes of such mishaps and what can be done about them.

Lately, there has been a spate of road accidents in Singapore. This prompts reflection on how drivers can enhance safety measures even on roads perceived as secure, such as those monitored by numerous cameras and speed traps.

As a responsible driver, there are several proactive steps you can take to minimise the likelihood of accidents and crashes, even in areas with robust surveillance systems.

Follow Traffic Rules

Always adhere strictly to traffic rules and regulations. This means obeying speed limits, keeping a safe distance from the car ahead, using signals when changing lanes or making turns, and refraining from distractions like using your phone.

Most of the time when accidents happen, it is usually because drivers neglect to follow simple rules such as checking blind spots or signalling before changing lanes. These seemingly trivial steps can make a big difference so be sure always to practise them when driving.

Furthermore, when it comes to changing lanes, you need to be aware that just because you have signalled your intention, it doesn’t mean that you are guaranteed a safe lane change. This is because many drivers pretend to see your signal and speed up to overtake you first, so check before merging in a lane and refrain from speeding up when someone signals in front of you.

Maintain Your Vehicle

A research paper titled “Involvement of vehicle factors in road accidents” by Md. Shamsul Hoque and Md. Rafiqul Hasan explores the impact of vehicle defects on road safety and highlights how poor safety standards and the bad habits of some vehicle owners who don’t regularly or cannot afford to regularly maintain your vehicles contribute to more accidents.

Motorists also need to regularly check your vehicle’s brakes, tyres, lights, and signals to ensure they are functioning optimally. A well-maintained vehicle significantly reduces the risk of mechanical failure that could lead to accidents. What’s more, while not always unsafe at first, lack of maintenance builds up and becomes dangerous over time.

While some small rattles and bumps in your car may not be fatal, they could lead to a bigger problem down the road if not tended to immediately. This is why you should always inspect your vehicle and have it maintained regularly as a pre-emptive fix will definitely reduce the chances of a problem building up that the owner of the vehicle would know nothing about.

The study concludes that not regularly maintaining your vehicle leads to more severe accidents on the road and also underscores the urgent need for proactive measures to address these issues and enhance overall road safety standards to help reduce the number and severity of road accidents happening today.

Be Vigilant
Did you know that anywhere between 10 and 20 per cent of major crashes that happen in the UK are caused by driver fatigue? This is why it is always important to be well-rested and alert at all times when behind the wheel.

While all of us know that you should not be driving when tired or fatigued, many drivers still choose to do just that. When in a tired or fatigued state, your brain simply cannot function the way it is supposed to. Your attention, concentration and reaction time all suffer when fatigued and it also impairs your judgement, making it harder to make good decisions.

When some of you are very tired, you can even fall victim to something called microsleep. This is when you fall asleep involuntarily for a few seconds, which is more than enough time to cause a crash or accident. When this happens, you are also more likely to drift out of your lane and it becomes harder to control your vehicle as you cannot react as quickly.

It is extremely dangerous to drive when fatigued or tired, and driving in this state could be as dangerous as drunk driving. The Sleep Foundation reports that being awake for 20 hours is comparable to having a blood alcohol level of 0.08 per cent, the legal limit in Singapore.

Control Road Rage

Road rage is an incidence of violence perpetrated against road users. Road rage is still in action on roads and this causes accidents, rendering other innocent drivers victims. When you are in ‘rage,’ your emotions are out of control and your vehicle becomes a ‘battering ram.’

Although there is no law about road rage in Singapore, individuals in a road rage case can still be charged with other criminal offences such as voluntarily causing hurt and mischief. So, always stay calm and level-headed when driving. If you are experiencing road rage, some things you could do to calm down are breathing exercises, or playing your favourite songs.

Another thing you could do is to pre-plan your trip by anticipating delays. This will help you stay calm and keep your emotions in check should you encounter unexpected situations.

Avoid Drunk Driving

It is painfully obvious that alcohol consumption, especially in excess, reduces your ability to judge the distance, speed, and movement of other vehicles. It impairs alertness, blurs vision, and reduces motor coordination.

In Singapore, it’s a criminal offence to drive while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. A first-time offender would now face a penalty amounting from $2,000 to $10,000, imprisonment of up to 12 months or both.

The best way to prevent drunk driving is to not drink at all when you are about to drive, but what should you do if you need to or have consumed alcohol and want to drive? Options are plentiful. You can either choose a designated driver in the group beforehand, call a cab or ride-hailing service, or hire a valet service.

Buckle Up

Some of you as drivers and passengers develop the habit of ignoring your seatbelts when travelling a short distance. However, according to statistics, most accidents happen within the first three minutes of driving. While this may seem a bit counterintuitive, shorter trips actually put you more at risk of an accident. This was found by personal injury lawyers, Trantolo & Trantolo, LLC.

But why are seatbelts so important? If there’s a need to emergency brake, or in the worst-case scenario, your car collides with another, wearing a seat belt enables the force to be spread evenly across a wider area of your body. This will minimise hitting your head in the event of a crash, protecting your brain and spine.

Drive Defensively

Defensive driving refers to the practice of consciously avoiding the dangers associated with driving. Driving in this way helps lower the likelihood of a collision or incident. To enable you to anticipate hazards, give yourself and the drivers around you plenty of time and space. One of the ways of doing this is to keep a three-second gap when following another vehicle.

By adopting proactive measures and cultivating a mindset of safety-conscious driving, you can reduce the risk of accidents and contribute to safer roads for everyone.

Enhance your knowledge and stay safe on the road by enrolling in the Crash Prevention Course and a Defensive Driving Course.