1. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) will be enhancing protection for elderly pedestrians by strengthening deterrence against irresponsible driving in Silver Zones. When specified traffic offences are committed in Silver Zones, they will attract higher composition fines and demerit points. The enhanced penalties will also apply to School Zones to enhance road safety for students.
Background
2. The Traffic Police (TP) adopts a multi-pronged approach to enhance road safety for elderly pedestrians, through public education and engagement targeted at the elderly and general public, along with enforcement measures (see Annex A). The Land Transport Authority (LTA) has also made improvements to road infrastructure by implementing Silver Zones at residential areas with higher populations of elderly. Silver Zones typically have a reduced speed limit of 40km/h and additional traffic-calming and senior-friendly road safety features. These features include additional crossing points and lanes with reduced width to slow down traffic. Please refer to Annex B for a photograph of a Silver Zone.
3. Notwithstanding the current measures, the number of traffic accidents resulting in elderly pedestrian casualties has increased in recent years, from 223 in 2015 to 317 in 2019.[1] Elderly pedestrians continue to account for a disproportionate number of traffic accidents resulting in pedestrian fatalities – in 2020, the elderly made up more than 80% of pedestrian fatalities. While jaywalking by elderly pedestrians contributed to some of these accidents, many accidents also arise from irresponsible driving behaviour on the motorist’s part, such as failing to slow down when approaching a pedestrian crossing. The situation may be improved with greater care on the part of motorists.
Enhancing Demerit Points and Composition Fines in Silver Zones and School Zones
4. To increase protection for elderly pedestrians, MHA will enhance demerit points and composition fines for offences committed in Silver Zones. Motorists who commit offences at pedestrian crossings or offences that endanger pedestrian safety at Silver Zones will incur two additional demerit points on top of the original demerit points for the offence. In addition, the composition fines for these specified offences committed in Silver Zones will be raised by $100.
5. The increase in demerit points and composition fines will also apply for offences committed in School Zones.
Specified Traffic Offences
6. To deter irresponsible driving behaviour by motorists, MHA will raise the demerit points and composition fines for the following categories of offences committed in Silver Zones and School Zones:
a. Offences committed at pedestrian crossings. Motorists who fail to slow down or give way when approaching pedestrian crossings such as signalised junctions in Silver Zones or School Zones will be liable for higher demerit points and composition fines.
b. Driving behaviour-related offences that endanger pedestrian safety. Offences such as speeding and driving against the flow of traffic endanger the safety of road users. Motorists who commit such offences in Silver Zones or School Zones will be liable for higher demerit points and composition fines.
7. Please refer to Annex C for the full list of specified traffic offences under these categories.
Demerit Points
8. MHA will raise the demerit points for the specified traffic offences committed at Silver Zones and School Zones. Drivers will incur two additional demerit points for each specified traffic offence. For example, a motorist who runs a red light, which is a 12-demerit point offence when committed outside a Silver Zone and School Zone, will incur 14 demerit points when committed in a Silver Zone or School Zone. Please refer to Annex C for the revised demerit points for each specified traffic offence.
Composition Fines
9. MHA will also raise composition fines for these specified traffic offences committed in Silver Zones and School Zones by $100. Please refer to the appended table for the revised composition fines.
* Under the Road Traffic Act, the maximum composition fine for traffic offences is half of the maximum court fine. As the maximum court fine for all 12-demerit points offences is $1,000 for first-time offenders, the maximum composition fine for 12-demerit point traffic offences (i.e. speeding, red light running and using mobile communicative devices while driving) committed in Silver Zones and School Zones by heavy vehicle drivers is capped at $500 and cannot be increased any further. MHA will monitor the accident rates for heavy vehicles in Silver Zones and School Zones, and review the cap on composition fines if necessary.
Timeline
10. The changes to the composition fines and demerit points for the specified traffic offences committed in Silver Zones and School Zones will take effect from 1 July 2021.
Annex A (120kb .pdf)
Annex B (480kb .pdf)
Annex C (164kb .pdf)
[1] The number of traffic accidents resulting in elderly pedestrian casualties decreased to 233 in 2020. However, the decrease could be attributed to reduced road and pedestrian traffic in 2020 due to the COVID-19 situation.
