Mr Bernard Tay,
Friends,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
1. Good morning. It is my great pleasure to be here today at the Singapore Road Safety Awards & Road Safety Seminar 2024, an event that honours excellence in road safety, and reaffirms our collective commitment toward safer roads. The word ‘collective’ is important – it is all our responsibilities’ – a collective responsibility. We are all road users and if we all play a part, it will make a great difference in how we promote road safety.
2. I am heartened to learn that companies have put their employees’ safety as their top priority and constantly review and implement measures to ensure they are safe on the roads. One such measure is the installation of speed limiters in lorries with a maximum laden weight of between 3,501kg and 12,000kg, a requirement which was announced in November last year. The speed limiters will ensure that these lorries do not go beyond the speed limit of 60km/h, reducing the risk of accidents, not only for the driver but also for everyone on the roads. This is a step towards safer roads for everyone. While authorities enforce laws to protect road users, our safety is best ensured when all of us play our part in being safe on the road and rallying others to do the same.
3. Within the company, workers can look out for each other and share best practices. In doing so, they positively shape the company’s safety culture and at the industry level, transform practices for the better.
4. All of us can make a difference and for this year’s Singapore Road Safety Awards, we are presenting a total of 33 awards — nine Excellence Awards and 24 Merit Awards to recognise the outstanding efforts of companies and individuals who have made our roads safer.
5. I would like to take a moment to highlight PEC Ltd, which has won the Company Award under the Heavy Goods Vehicle and Non-Public Bus category. PEC Ltd has been a steadfast supporter of the Singapore Road Safety Awards and has consistently won awards since first participating in 2018. Their dedication to safety has been exemplary, and we are grateful for their sharing of experience with us today.
6. This year’s awards is also special, in that we have two Excellence Safe Drivers Awards winners under the Public Bus Fleet category. Mr Toh Chin Tiong from SMRT and Mr Ho Ah Seng from SBS Transit, have both been free from road traffic violations for more than 25 years. This is truly an outstanding achievement and speaks volumes about their commitment to road safety. Their exemplary records set a standard for all drivers in the industry, and they are deserving of special recognition.
7. As we celebrate these achievements, it is important to remember that road safety is a continuous journey. The awards presented today highlight the best practices, dedication and vigilance of the individuals and companies involved. I hope that their stories will inspire all of us to strive for higher safety standards and to ensure that our roads remain safe for everyone.
8. I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to all the award recipients. Your achievements serve as a beacon of excellence in the industry and remind us all of the importance of road safety. Sometimes when I meet our road users – drivers, riders, even pedestrians – it always touches me when they talk not only about their own safety, but of others. One of them shared with me that he had a road accident before, and he saw how his negligence had caused another person to get injured, and how families can be affected. That was a lesson, that person shared, and today, he is very careful not only for his own safety, but having a consideration for other road users. That internalisation is important, because when we know we share the amenities, roads, and related infrastructure, and how our actions would affect others when things go wrong due to our unsafe behaviour on the road, then all of us will be more careful. For me it has been an inspiring journey learning from these road users, who themselves over time become safer road users. So have a thought for other road users, and how we can play our part in ensuring that our roads are safe.
9. I also would like to thank Bernard and his colleagues in the Singapore Road Safety Council and Automobile Association Singapore for co-organising today’s event. I am also pleased to see my colleagues and other stakeholders, such as the Traffic Police, Land Transport Authority and Workplace Safety and Health Institute, who continue to work hard together, and embrace innovation, collaboration, lessons learnt here and overseas, to keep Singapore’s roads safe.
10. I hope today’s seminar will be another platform for us to explore opportunities to innovate, collaborate, and learn from each other. These efforts I hope, will make Singapore’s roads safer in the years to come. So on that note, thank you for having me this morning, and I wish you a fruitful seminar. Congratulations to all the award recipients.
11. Thank you.
