Road Deaths hit 10 year high in 2025 - ST news today. It takes 2 hands to clap.

Singapore Roads 

Today's headlines highlighted the fact that in 2025, the number of road deaths hit a record high for the last 10 years. Any person reading this would assume that the motorists are the sole problem. I disagree. There is another actor involved. 

LTA. You are also part of the problem. Let me cite just 3 stretches of road, which I commute regularly and, frankly, the road repositioning or roads, without proper early notification to motorists is deadly and an accident waiting to happen.  I reckon there are easily 20 stretches of road all over the country, which are undergoing massive road works due to MRT underground works, road widening and many so called 'road improvements' which cause massive irritation to drivers like myself, not to mention the chances of accident happening when there is road diversions (the traffic crossing is at another place some 30 m and to the left of the original road is an example).

When I say early notification of road diversion, there MUST BE some sign on the road clearly displayed as far as 500 m ahead for stretches of road, indicating that one lane will be closed off. In Singapore's case, it is at best 200 m ahead. This is poorly thought out and executed.

Many drivers like myself, keep to speed limits and we drive defensively. BUT if the road is totally new and there are new detours, many a times, we drivers are lost and following road and signal signs which sometimes are confusing, so sometimes, we get into some minor confusion while looking at the signs and not looking at the car to the left or right of your car.

New road signs pop up (Friendly Roads is one), and all kinds of road diversions (keep left and right as there is some road works at the centre lane of the Expressway), all add to the confusion of the driver.

New road diversion, new signs, not enough early warning in terms of road cones only put up less than 100 m to where the traffic truck is stopped, all these in my opinion fall far short to (for example) West European road safety protocols, which I was used to when I drove many times in Europe and Germany (from 1997 till 2010).    

Over last  4 years, post COVID, I have noticed that there are NUMEROUS road works in practically every town centre, or suburb. Thomson road area is a massive worksite for the last 3 years, pity the residents living along the stretch of Thomson Road leading to Scotts Road.

Thomson Road from Balestier Road Junction - United Square 

The area outside Velocity and Square2 is especially bad in terms of road diversions. This are has been in this state for 3 years at least, so much so that the entire area has for the last 3 years become something of a worksite with roads traversing through it.

Ang Mo Kio Central

In Ang Mo Kio, there are many roads which have also moved, due to some MRT underground tunneling and hence there are road diversions.

Ophir Road stretch from Jalan Besar to base of Sheares Bridge

There's so much road diversion, and with the diversion, sometimes, the road winds, and the lane markers get narrower between lanes.

Surely this will give some problems to drivers, cars or vehicles eating into each other's lane unecessarily. 

The Government should look into some of the points raised. 

     My suggestions are 

a) Do road enhancements (as much as possible) during the hours from midnight to say 6 am.

b) Keep top heavy vehicles such as cement mixers, low transporters and low loaders off the vehicular roads, especially expressways (like in Germany) and limit there usage to between midnight and 6 am.

    

c) Be mindful of are major high density roads leading to major office blocks (like MBC and downtown), and plan road works AFTER the rush hour (like 10 am to 4 pm) 

d) Drivers pay so much in terms of COE and still, we live the problem of many road diversions, the occasional congestion, and now, sky high number accidents resulting in road deaths. 

d) Private Hire cars (I will get a lot of flak here), need to slow down, and pace their routes carefully, if that is practically possible.

(I am just a driver reaching elderly driver status, this is just my opinion). 

   Conclusion

> There must be a nice balance between road upgrading timelines, scheduling of resurfacing and repainting of road to night times, (not during peak hours of getting to work and end of the day commute) 

> Give us motorists a break !!!