Enforcement cameras keep us safe on the road. Find out how the Traffic Police use them to help shape motorists’ on-road behaviour and reinforce safe driving habits.

Motorists with a tendency to speed are well advised to restrain themselves. Starting from 1 April this year, the Traffic Police has been progressively activating red-light cameras to catch motorists who exceeds the speed limit, in addition to their usual function of capturing those who beat the red light. The function will be activated islandwide, especially at locations prone to a higher number of accidents or traffic violations.

Red-light cameras have always been fitted with speed enforcement capabilities but this is the first time the function is being used

Rise in Road Accidents

The move is prompted by the surge in fatal accidents and road traffic deaths last year. According to police reports, in 2023, speeding-related fatal accidents increased by 83.3% from 2022, and the proportion of fatal accidents due to speeding increased to 25.2% in 2023 from 17.3% in 2022.

Traffic enforcement cameras detected 52,237 speeding violations in 2023, a 28.6% decrease from 73,512 cases in 2022. However, this does not indicate a decrease in speeding violations.

In fact, police enforcement operations detected a 22% increase in speeding violations, from 52,016 cases in 2022 to 63,468 cases in 2023. According to the police, this shows that while traffic enforcement cameras are effective in deterring speeding violations, motorists still choose to speed at locations where they think no one is watching.

Painted in orange and white strips, the red-light cameras are hard to miss. In addition, they are accompanied by warning signs placed before them, stating “Traffic Police Camera Zone”, with the road speed limit sign above it. The list of locations they are deployed at is available on the Singapore Police Force website.

Other Cameras

In addition to the red-light camera, there are other enforcement cameras used by the Traffic Police, such as the Police Speed Laser Camera, the Average Speed Camera, Fixed Speed Camera, and the Mobile Speed Camera. The Police Speed Laser Camera is a portable handheld camera that allows traffic police to detect speeding violations at a distance. The Average Speed Camera captures the entry and exit time of the vehicles as they enter and leave a section of road known as an “average speed enforcement zone”. The Fixed Speed Camera can identify speeding vehicles from afar, and the Mobile Speed Cameras transmit images wirelessly back to the Traffic Police for processing.

Enforcement cameras play an important role in reducing traffic police violations at accident-prone areas where motorists are aware of their presence. Do remember that road traffic rules are stringent and need to be enforced to maintain law and order on the roads, keeping it safe for both drivers and pedestrians alike.