The Singapore Police Force (SPF) reported that red-light cameras equipped with a speed enforcement function have detected over 800 speeding violations in the past three weeks. The speed enforcement function was progressively activated from April 1st, covering locations prone to accidents and violations across the island. As of December 2022, there were more than 250 red-light cameras in Singapore, but the number of activated speed enforcement cameras remains undisclosed.
Speeding and running red lights are the most common traffic violations, accounting for approximately 75% of all violations in 2023. Deputy Superintendent of Police William Foo, the officer-in-charge of the surveillance camera unit, expressed concern over the high number of speeding violations. The SPF emphasized their commitment to enforcing traffic rules and taking action against errant drivers.
The latest annual traffic situation report from the SPF revealed an 83.3% increase in speeding-related fatal accidents in 2023 compared to 2022. Although there was a 22% increase in speeding violations detected by police enforcement operations, the number of violations detected by traffic enforcement cameras decreased in 2023.
TP officers continuously patrol the roads, looking for traffic violations, and regular enforcement operations are conducted. Speed cameras and red-light cameras, utilizing laser technology, radar technology, or detector loops embedded in the road, assist in detecting violations. Cameras with laser or radar technology measure the time it takes for a beam to bounce back or radio waves to return to calculate a vehicle’s speed. Detector loop cameras create an electromagnetic field, capturing images when a vehicle disrupts the field upon passing over the loop.
The speed enforcement function in TP’s red-light cameras operates similarly. If a traffic violation is detected, the captured image or video undergoes a two-layer verification process to ensure validity and accuracy before a report is created. This process may take two to three weeks, after which a notice of traffic offence may be issued to the motorist depending on the investigation outcome.