No serious accidents at junction of Tampines crash from 2019 to 2023

No feedback on safety issues before incident; design based on global standards: Amy Khor

- Nadine Chua and Wong Shiying

There were no accidents resulting in serious injuries or fatalities from 2019 to 2023 at the junction in Tampines where a fatal six-vehicle crash happened on April 22.

Senior Minister of State for Transport Amy Khor said this in Parliament on May 7 in response to questions from MPs following the accident, which killed a woman, 57, and a 17-year-old junior college student.

She added that the Land Transport Authority (LTA) did not receive feedback on safety issues at the junction before the crash, and that it had been designed according to international safety standards.

"These include sufficient line of sight for road users to see each other clearly, and appropriate road kerbs, lane and arrow markings installed conspicuously," said Dr Khor.

Eight MPs filed 11 questions to the Home Affairs and Transport ministries about road safety, with several asking about the adequacy of penalties to deter dangerous driving.

Minister of State for Home Affairs Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim said the top causes of fatal accidents in Singapore between 2019 and 2023 were drivers' failure to keep a proper lookout and their failure to control their vehicles adequately.

Associate Professor Faishal said the Tampines accident shocked and angered many Singaporeans.

He said an average of three fatal accidents per year, or about 2.4 per cent of fatal accidents annually, were investigated under the offence of reckless or dangerous driving causing death.

Annually, an average of 29 fatal accidents, or 27 per cent, were speeding-related.