No expressway in S'pore has a constant speed limit throughout. Max is still 90 but there will be stretches where the limit is lowered for reasons of safety due to sharp bends, connecting roads or any other known hazards.
On lane 1, generally, you are allowed at most 10kph above the max. Beyond that, be prepared to receive a letter if caught.
Many "experienced" drivers still think that the fast lane is meant for overtaking at any speed. They are sadly mistaken.
Traffic safety is becoming an increasing cause for concern, especially with the recent cases of accidents that have sparked public outcry on the issue of road safety - the most recent involving a cement mixer and the loss of two children's lives.
There is a general consensus that local motorists are getting more reckless. Traffic related offences have been on the rise. From 2010 to 2011, around 20,000 more motorists were caught speeding, causing the total figure to rise to 225,550 in 2011 - a substantial 10 percent increment. The following year saw the figure climbing further - to a total of 244,806 in 2012.
Average speed cameras have been widely used in countries like Australia and England Several sources have pointed out that the Traffic Police (TP) will be introducing a new generation of speed cameras that will undergo trials along the Pan Island Expressway (PIE) and Changi Coast Road. These digitalised cameras are designed to measure average speeds of vehicles over a distance and they will allow more images to be captured as well as be accessed remotely by the TP.
The aim of these cameras, no doubt, is to enhance road safety by acting as deterrence, and reinforce the traffic laws on the road. Besides curbing traffic offences, the Traffic Police seeks to achieve and cultivate better driving habits through tightened surveillance.
On a bigger picture, improving the driving culture is an uphill task. Let's take the KallangCPaya Lebar Expressway (KPE) tunnel for example.
In the six months leading up to end April 2008, there were an average of 245 motorists caught for speeding in the tunnel per week. In the first nine months of 2009, 17,000 were caught, accounting to an average of 443 per week - almost a one fold increment compared to the previous year.
Is tightening legistlation the only way to reduce traffic accidents? Motorists generally comply with the speed limit in the areas covered by speed cameras. However in other open stretches of roads, many are observed to be exceeding pass the 70km/h limit. This can be due to the familiarisation of speed camera locations over time, which renders the equipment less effective.
There is a high likelihood that the same trend will follow for the new speed cameras.
KH Yong, a local driver who has been driving for the past 20 years, expressed the same sentiments. He believes that such implementation will only have a certain degree of effectiveness, which dilutes over time.
Mr Yong feels that focusing solely on speeding may not improve overall road safety because speed is not the sole reason for accidents - it is dangerous driving. "Dangerous driving may include speeding, but it also includes things like changing lanes without signalling, which can occur even at speeds of 10km/h," Mr Yong added.
While the local authority has been widening its efforts in reinforcing and deterring traffic violations, more can be done to advocate the importance of being responsible to all other road user as well as to your loved ones.
