The Singapore Road Safety Council (SRSC) and Traffic Police (TP), with support from the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and People’s Association (PA), launched the Road Safety for the Elderly 2020 campaign on 28 August 2020.
Accidents involving elderly pedestrians remain a key concern. In the first half of 2020, about 46% of all accidents involving elderly pedestrians were attributed to jaywalking.
In past years, road safety engagements, carnivals and concerts were organised by SRSC and TP to reach out to the elderlies. These outreach efforts were complemented by LTA’s elderly-friendly traffic schemes such as the Green Man + reader mounted above the standard push-button at various signalised pedestrian crossings whereby elderlies may tap their senior citizen concession cards on the reader for longer crossing times. In addition, 50 Silver Zones will be implemented island-wide by 2023 to enhance road safety. Under this scheme, traffic-calming measures and senior-friendly road safety features are implemented at areas with a high proportion of elderly residents and where there have been past accidents involving seniors to remind motorists to slow down and look out for them.
This year, a road safety video titled ‘Life is Precious. Stay Safe’, has been produced to raise general road safety awareness amongst the elderly and their families on safe habits when crossing the road. The video, which was uploaded on SRSC’s Facebook and YouTube channel on 28 August 2020, aims to bring across the importance of road safety as well as to remind the elderly to be more vigilant on the roads, and to always make use of pedestrian crossings. Please refer to Annex A for a screenshot of the road safety video.
TP and SRSC are also collaborating with People’s Association to distribute hand sanitisers and wet wipes bearing road safety reminders to the elderly at some of the Community Clubs in areas with higher proportion of senior residents. Please refer to Annex B for the sample of the hand sanitiser and wet wipes.
“Elderlies need to know that when they get into a traffic accident, they have to bear the pain and trauma from the accident. It is important for them to stay safe for the sake of their family and not just for themselves’’, said Mr Bernard Tay, Chairman, Singapore Road Safety Council.
SRSC and TP hope that the launch of Road Safety for the Elderly 2020 campaign will serve as a timely reminder to the elderly and their families to abide with all traffic rules so as to keep themselves safe. Commander of Traffic Police, Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police Gerald Lim said, “Everyone has a part to play in keeping Singapore’s roads safe. Elderly pedestrians too, can play their part by using available pedestrian crossings or overhead bridges when crossing the roads.”
SRSC and TP will continue to educate and remind the elderly to stay safe on the roads for the well-being of themselves and their families.
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
28 August 2020 @ 12:30 PM