Debated in Parliament on 6 May 2019.
Ms Rahayu Mahzam asked the Minister for Home Affairs (a) whether the Ministry tracks the number of road accidents involving pedestrians who use their mobile phones; (b) if so, what are the numbers of such accidents over the past three years; and (c) whether there needs to be legislation or measures put in place to deter people from using their mobile phones while walking.
The Police do not track the number of accidents involving pedestrians who were using their mobile phones when the accident occurred.
The use of mobile phones is but one of many activities that can cause pedestrians to be distracted while crossing roads. Other examples include reading a book, listening to music through headphones and earphones, or talking to another person. It is not practical to try to legislatively prohibit pedestrians from engaging in such activities. A better approach is to foster good road safety habits and personal responsibility.
In this regard, Traffic Police (TP) conducts regular outreach to educate the public on the dangers of distracted crossing. An example is the "Use Your RoadSense" initiative. As part of this initiative, TP uses traditional and social media to disseminate advisories on safe road-use, such as staying alert to one's surroundings when crossing the road.
Since 2014, LTA has installed "LOOK" road markings at zebra crossings, to alert pedestrians to road crossings ahead and to remind them to look out for oncoming vehicles.
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