SINGAPORE — Cycling-related road accidents in Singapore have climbed to their highest level in four years, with authorities and cycling advocates urging everyone on the road to move beyond the familiar blame game and take greater responsibility for safety.
Singapore recorded 772 traffic accidents involving cyclists in 2025, including 17 fatal accidents, according to figures reported by The Straits Times. That compares with 620 cyclist-related accidents in 2024 and 581 in 2023.
The increase comes against a wider deterioration in Singapore’s road-safety picture. The Singapore Police Force reported 147 fatal traffic accidents and 149 traffic deaths in 2025, compared with 139 fatal accidents and 142 deaths in 2024. Traffic accidents resulting in injuries also increased to 7,560 in 2025, from 7,053 the previous year. Police described the continuing upward trend as worrying.
More than just a cyclist problem
The latest cycling figures have reignited debate over whether Singapore’s roads are becoming increasingly hostile between different groups of road users.
Police data cited in the reports showed that more than half of cyclist-related accidents were linked to disorderly cycling and failure to keep a proper lookout. The figures cover conventional bicycles as well as power-assisted bicycles, recumbent bicycles, trishaws and tricycles.
Singapore Cycling Federation vice-president for community outreach Steven Lim said some cyclists have developed an attitude that traffic rules do not apply to them, including running red lights in groups.
But advocates also stress that responsibility cannot be placed on cyclists alone.
Drivers, motorcyclists, pedestrians and cyclists all share the same road environment, and dangerous behaviour by one group can put others at risk.
That was the broader message raised during parliamentary discussions on road safety: different road users often blame one another, while the bigger challenge is changing Singapore’s overall road culture.
A growing call for empathy, not entitlement
Safety for Active Mobility Users president Francis Chu said road users need to rethink the way they approach right-of-way situations.
The issue, he argued, is not simply whether someone technically has the right to proceed. Road users should also consider whether exercising that right could put another person in danger.
That distinction can be critical for cyclists, who have far less physical protection than people inside cars and other larger vehicles.
For cyclist Joseph Lee, who was injured after being struck by a taxi at a junction in 2022, the consequences went far beyond the crash itself. He suffered a fractured collarbone and endured months of recovery and dependence on others for everyday activities. The taxi driver’s insurer later accepted full liability.
His experience highlights the reality behind the statistics: a moment of impatience or poor judgment on the road can have consequences lasting months or even a lifetime.
Singapore is already stepping up enforcement
The government has also taken measures against dangerous cycling.
In a February 2026 parliamentary response, Acting Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow said cyclists must observe a 10km/h speed limit on footpaths and 25km/h on shared paths.
Between 2023 and 2025, more than 650 cyclists were penalised for riding in a disorderly manner without due regard for the safety of others.
The Land Transport Authority and Singapore Police Force have also carried out joint enforcement operations. At identified hotspots, authorities can deploy measures including speed-detection radar, warning signs and CCTV, alongside targeted patrols and community outreach.
These measures come as Singapore takes a tougher approach to road safety more broadly.
CNA reported that the Traffic Police planned to expand traffic-enforcement camera coverage following the rise in road fatalities and injuries in 2025.
The bigger road-safety warning
The cyclist figures are part of a much larger road-safety challenge.
In 2025, police recorded 7,560 injury-causing traffic accidents, resulting in 9,955 victims. Motorcyclists and pillion riders remained disproportionately represented in crashes involving injuries or deaths, while elderly pedestrians accounted for a particularly high share of pedestrian fatalities.
Police said the most common causes of traffic accidents overall included failing to keep a proper lookout, inadequate control of the vehicle and changing lanes without due care.
The message is therefore broader than “cyclists need to be more careful.”
Everyone needs to be more careful.
A cyclist who runs a red light can endanger pedestrians and motorists. A driver who fails to check before turning can put a cyclist in a potentially devastating position. A motorcyclist travelling aggressively can create danger for everyone nearby. And a pedestrian who ignores traffic conditions can also become vulnerable.
The road belongs to everyone
Singapore’s cycling community is not simply calling for greater protection for cyclists. Increasingly, advocates are calling for a change in behaviour across the entire road network.
Following traffic rules is the baseline. Keeping a proper lookout, slowing down when necessary and giving vulnerable road users enough space can prevent situations from becoming tragedies.
The central question may no longer be who has the right of way.
It may be whether getting there a few seconds faster is worth putting another person’s life at risk.
With cyclist-related accidents reaching 772 cases in a single year, Singapore’s latest road-safety figures offer a sobering reminder: on a shared road, winning an argument over who was right does not matter much if someone never makes it home safely.
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