As bicycle accidents hit four-year high, cyclists call for greater mutual respect among road users

SINGAPORE: It was a clear afternoon on March 26, 2022, when educator Joseph Lee, 49, was cycling along Senja Road, off Woodlands Road. He was wearing a bright red T-shirt and helmet. As he turned at the junction with Senja Way, a taxi in a right-turn-only lane illegally drove straight, side-swiping him. Lee was flung off his bike, and the impact fractured his collarbone in two places. The cabby’s insurer accepted full liability and paid damages, but Lee endured months of painful recovery, relying on others for basic tasks like bathing and eating. He expressed frustration: ‘There are cyclists who break the rules, doing things like running red lights, and nothing happens to them. But I did everything I was supposed to do. Yet, I was the one suffering.’ With Singapore’s roads becoming more dangerous in recent years, cyclists have become increasingly at risk. Accidents involving cyclists reached a four-year high in 2025, with 772 accidents, 17 of which were fatal. There were 620 accidents in 2024 and 581 in 2023. The police reported that over half of these accidents were due to disorderly cycling and failure to maintain proper lookout. During a debate on the Ministry of Home Affairs’ budget in February, Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs Sim Ann noted that different groups of road users blamed each other for failing to observe road safety. She stated: ‘When we talk to drivers, they will point out that motorcyclists or cyclists or pedestrians are at fault. If we talk to motorcyclists, we are likely to be told that it is the drivers who are the problem.’ She emphasized that road culture in Singapore needs to change, and all road users must do better. Steven Lim, vice-president for community outreach at the Singapore Cycling Federation, highlighted increasing animosity between road user groups. He said: ‘People are so focused on their own rights and their space, choosing to only see things from their own perspective. Everyone has something to say about the next person, but never themselves.’ Lim noted that some cyclists break rules, expecting others to give way, often beating red lights in groups. He added: ‘Some cyclists think traffic rules don’t apply to them. They believe if they beat a red light, they can’t be caught.’ In 2025, two cyclists were sentenced to jail and short detention orders after beating a red light and colliding with a jogger. Lim warned that if everyone adopted such a mindset, society would break down. He stressed: ‘Cyclists, along with other road users, should follow the rules to keep themselves and others safe. We cannot control what others do, but we can play our part in shared responsibility.’ Francis Chu, president of the Safety for Active Mobility Users group, argued for a mindset shift. He said road users should prioritize others’ safety over their own rights or convenience. He recalled a close call in Pioneer where a lorry accelerated past him to beat an amber light, creating a suction draft that nearly pulled him into the vehicle. Chu said: ‘The driver could argue he had the right to pass the amber light, but he definitely wasn’t looking out for others.’ Chu emphasized that empathy over entitlement could prevent many accidents. Joseph Lee agreed, saying: ‘I understand some of us may be rushing for time. But we all just want to get home safe and sound. Saving a few seconds isn’t worth someone else being injured or dying.’