Accidents Involving Foreign and Permanent Resident Drivers

Mrs Lina Chiam asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs (a) from 1997 to 2012, what is the breakdown of accidents involving foreigner and permanent resident drivers versus Singapore citizen drivers; and (b) whether the framework for a stricter standard for drivers who ferry workers in the course of their work has been reviewed and, if so, what are

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the changes made.

Between 2003 and 2012, there was an annual average of 4,022 fatal and injury accidents involving drivers where the Singapore Citizen driver was at least partially at fault. The corresponding figure for accidents involving foreign and permanent resident drivers was 596. Data before 2003 is not available as Traffic Police only started collecting data on the nationality of resident drivers from 2003 onwards.

MHA has been reviewing the framework for drivers of commercial light goods vehicles. As part of the review, we are studying measures to enhance the licensing regime, including the tightening of requirements for the conversion of foreign licences to Singapore licences. The review is in progress and we will provide a full update in due course.

Traffic Police and LTA have also put in place measures to improve the safety of passengers being ferried on light goods vehicles. For instance, Traffic Police has stepped up the deployment of enforcement resources along roads and expressways regularly plied by drivers of lorries and pick-ups. LTA has also implemented stricter regulatory requirements, such as higher side railings and canopies for light lorries, to improve the safety for the workers being ferried on such vehicles.