The roads on our island may be well-paved and maintained but there are some that can be outright hazardous to travel on and where an extra helping of defensive driving is needed.
In the latest release of Annual Traffic Statistics 2023, it was reported that traffic accidents resulted in the loss of 136 lives, marking a 25.9 per cent increase from the 108 fatalities recorded in 2022. The report noted the increase in the number of fatal accidents involving speeding, drink driving and running red lights. There was also a significant rise in the number of accidents where the cause was failure on the part of motorists to keep a proper lookout, failure to have proper control of the vehicle, or changing of lanes without due care. The traffic statistics showed that there are many motorists who have irresponsible driving behaviours.
Despite our peeves concerning local traffic conditions and certain driving habits of other road users, most would agree that Singapore roads are some of the most well-built and well-maintained in the region.
Yet there are still spots in Singapore that make for a dangerous drive. These roads are a storm of hazards that have arisen from factors such as terrain issues to simply being a bottleneck for a large amount of transitory traffic, thus creating a higher risk for vehicular accidents and other mishaps.
South Buona Vista Road
One of the more ulu (out of the way) roads in Singapore, South Buona Vista Road is infamous for being a route used for illegal races. Nicknamed”gao zhup gao wan” (99 bends in Hokkien), its moniker is well-earned for its numerous blindspots, bends, and twists found within its 1km stretch that is shaded by a dense canopy of trees.
Its twisty nature makes driving through it a hazardous undertaking as drivers risk being caught unawares of oncoming vehicles or other terrain dangers such as roadside ditches and steep slopes at the sides.
Newton Roundabout
Roundabouts are few and far between in Singapore but when they appear, it always feels as if local drivers are unable to navigate well around them. One such roundabout sits squarely at the busy Newton junction with a large amount of vehicles using it daily as it connects Bukit Timah Road and the downtown areas.
Drivers are often seen making wrong exits or driving along wrong lanes that contribute to accidents. The presence of traffic lights within the roundabout certainly do not help matters, especially when some drivers do not expect them and thus, don’t react fast enough.
Braddell Road towards CTE/towards Bishan
A major road that connects Bishan and Toa Payoh to major expressways, it is not unusual for Braddell Road to constantly experience heavy traffic. While it was not designed and built to be an expressway, drivers often mistake it for one due to its long and wide carriageways that do not feature many traffic lights. Thus, speeding is always an issue here.
The problems are compounded by the numerous confusing turns, U-turns and busy filtering lanes that may not be immediately obvious to drivers unfamiliar with the area. A couple of red flags to look out for are the turning points and the U-turn leading under the Bishan flyover and the filtering lane just after exiting Toa Payoh leading to the CTE. These can be very intimidating to some drivers.
The AAS Academy offers drivers an Online Driver Risk Assessment, identifying drivers who are at risk and the specific areas of concerns. If you are a fleet owner or involved in fleet management, AAS Academy also offers the Online Driver Training Programme, a holistic training programme that can be delivered at your convenience. Each assessment and module is approximately 20 – 25 minutes long and is suitable for all classes of drivers. For more details, you can find further information here.
