Initiative from Traffic Police (TP) and Singapore Road Safety Council (SRSC)
The TP as well as the SRSC understood the concerning issues of rising cases of elderly involved in road accidents, and hence, on August 19, 2023, a road safety concert was held at Ci Yuan Community Center’s Auditorium.
Image by ROADS.sg Team
Through entertaining songs and a skit by local artistes such as Lee Pei Fen (李佩芬), Aven Cheng (皓皓), Rawi
Hamin (Rawi), Asmiyati Binti Asbah (Yati), Poobalan s/o Morgan (Balan), Anna Lim Ru Ping (林茹萍)，Xu Qiong Fang (许琼芳), and Zhu Li Li (朱丽丽), these performances aimed to raise senior citizens’ awareness of the dangers of jaywalking and encouraged the use of pedestrian crossings.
Image by ROADS.sg Team
Rising case of accidents involving elderly pedestrians
In 2022, a Police news release reported that despite the drop in deaths related to road accidents, traffic accidents involving the elderly rose from the previous 2 years.
Elderly pedestrians on the roads are at a heightened risk. In 2022, 235 incidents occurred with elderly pedestrians involved.
Out of these, 23 faced fatal outcomes, and roughly 75% of these mishaps were due to jaywalking.
Screengrab of the number of accidents involving the elderly / Police News Release
Opening address by Mr Bernard Tay, Chairman SRSC
The opening ceremony which was addressed by the Chairman of SRSC, Mr Bernard Tay mentioned how “Everyone has a part to play to improve road safety. If you notice your family, relatives or friends jaywalking, remind them of the dangers and encourage them to use the available facilities to cross the road.”
He concluded his opening speech by imparting a simple yet crucial message to the audience: “Safety is number one.”
Mr Tay subsequently presented 11 appreciation awards to organisations and individuals who have dedicated significant time and effort to promoting road safety for the elderly.
One of the recipients collecting the appreciation award during the concert / Police News Release
Traffic Police’s commitment to improve road safety for everyone
The Traffic Police Commander, Senior Assistant Commissioner Daniel Tan, stressed the Traffic Police’s dedication to enhancing safety for all on the roads.
He called for community backing to augment the Traffic Police’s educational, outreach, and enforcement initiatives. He appealed to everyone to oppose jaywalking and deter any risky road conducts.
In Initiatives like this one, the road safety concert is also an outreach to the more vulnerable groups due to their slower movements and poor eyesight.
Entertaining skits with insightful talks from optometrist
During the 3-hour concert, skits and talks were delivered in a combination of English, Mandarin, and dialects such as Hokkien to convey road safety messages to the audiences.
The skit highlighted safer methods for pedestrians, including the use of overhead bridges and zebra crossings, to remind elderly pedestrians of the various safe crossing options available to them.
Given that many elderly pedestrians might struggle to cross at traffic lights within the allocated time, the Green Man+ feature was also showcased. This serves as a reminder of the tool that provides them with an extended crossing time of up to 13 seconds.
Screengrab on the use of Green Man+ that is available / Land Transport Authority
During the concert, Ken Tong, the President of the Optometric Association, emphasised the significance of eye care for both pedestrians and drivers, and urged the audience to have their eyes tested regularly.
Image by ROADS.sg Team
Lunch for the elderly and booths from TP and SRSC
At the concert’s conclusion, seniors were guided to the foyer for lunch and to visit booths set up by TP and SRSC.
These booths displayed some of the initiatives introduced by TP in their pursuit of safer roads in Singapore which the ROADS.sg team also got to visit and enjoy.
In an interview, Madam Faridah, aged 64, expressed her enjoyment of the concert, noting that such events “serve as a good reminder to seniors like herself”.
Another attendee, affiliated with Lion Befrienders and wanted to be referred to as Mr Fong, appreciated that the safety messages were conveyed in dialects that he and other attendees could readily comprehend.
Everyone has a role to play in road safety
As highlighted by the Chairman of SRSC and the Commander of TP, each of us has a vital role in ensuring road safety.
Let’s do our part and remind our loved ones to adhere to all traffic rules and remain safe on the roads.
Image by ROADS.sg Team
ROADS.sg team was invited by the Traffic Police and had the opportunity to learn more about road safety during the road safety concert on August 19, 2023.
