SINGAPORE - Every time motorcyclist Carlos Karve, 24, chances upon an accident involving a motorbike, he asks himself the same question.

The engineering undergraduate at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) said he is prepared to take the risk of getting on a two-wheeler now, but the sight of a bike on the ground at an accident scene makes him wonder if he will sing the same tune as he gets older.

He said: “Obviously, I ask myself: Do I want to keep riding bikes?”

Mr Karve has good reason to question his decision to ride a motorcycle.

In 2023, motorcyclist and pillion rider fatalities spiked by 44.7 per cent, claiming a total of 68 lives, according to latest figures issued by the police.

Although motorcycles make up less than 15 per cent of Singapore’s total vehicle population, motorcyclists and pillion riders were involved in more than half of all traffic accidents in 2023.

They also accounted for half of all fatalities in road accidents.

All in, 4,290 motorcycle and pillion riders were injured in accidents in 2023, which means about 12 people are involved in motorcycle-related accidents each day.

The Straits Times spoke to experts, motorists and motorcyclists about the hazards that can crop up on Singapore’s roads and the reasons behind injuries and deaths linked to motorcycle accidents.

Vehicle numbers up

One contributing factor for the rise in motorcycle-linked accidents, injuries and fatalities is the explosion in vehicle numbers in recent years, which has led to more congestion and conflict on roads, said experts.

The total population of cars and station wagons increased by nearly 21,000 vehicles from 2019 to 2023, according to latest figures released by the Land Transport Authority.

Motorcycle and scooter numbers also grew by more than 3,000 units during the same period.

Mr Aman Aljunied, a motorcycle safety consultant and former instructor at the Singapore Safety Driving Centre, said slower traffic often results in road users becoming more impatient, and leads to a higher likelihood of reckless behaviour or inattention on roads.

Motorcycle Safety and Sports Club president Ong Kim Hua agreed. He said: “Once more people are involved, chances of accidents occurring will, of course, be a bit higher. We’re talking about odds, and the odds will definitely increase.”

One reason for the growth of the motorcycle population, experts suggested, is the rise in the number of delivery riders working for online food delivery platforms.

Mr Dennis Quah, the director of the Singapore chapter of motorcycle club Harley Owners Group, said: “These riders are under a lot of pressure to deliver food quickly, so they can do more jobs and earn more money, which is totally understandable.

“But that has led to significantly poorer behaviour on roads that is not unique to only food delivery drivers.”

Ban lane splitting

Experts also said impatience on the road has worsened the age-old problem of lane splitting.

Mr Quah said: “The sheer number of bikes on the road forces people to take risks like lane splitting, so that they can get to their destination quicker.”

Lane splitting is the practice of riding between lanes, often weaving through the gap between two vehicles. Bikers often ride on or very close to the dotted white lines that demarcate one lane from the other, switching lanes in a split-second, which can make their movements unpredictable to other road users.

Motorist Tracy Chua, 47, said: “Lane-splitting motorcyclists can be a problem as their sudden movement between lanes usually takes me by surprise.”

The secondary school teacher said she typically tries to drive defensively by ensuring a safe distance is kept between her and other vehicles, which makes it frustrating when motorcyclists compromise everyone’s safety by lane splitting in areas with congested traffic.

Unlike in some other countries, lane splitting is legal in Singapore. Most motorists agree that this practice is dangerous because motorcycles usually are in a large blind spot for drivers while doing so. A blind spot is any area around a vehicle a driver cannot easily see.

Mr Aljunied said the blind spot becomes even larger when one is riding in between large vehicles, and can easily result in a rider’s death if there is an accident.

“If you crash in between two vehicles, there’s nowhere for you to go. It’s either you go under the left vehicle or the right vehicle,” he added.

One motorcyclist drew much ire from netizens after a video of him lane splitting between two heavy vehicles went viral online, receiving 122,000 views.

In the video, posted to Facebook group SG Road Vigilante on March 1, a child in a pre-school uniform can be seen riding pillion on the bike – with the helmet unsecured.

The two heavy vehicles close in on the motorcycle, resulting in a collision that ends up with both the rider and child falling on the road.

Mr Tony Goldman, head road captain of the Harley Owners Group, oversees safety during convoy rides.

The Briton, who has lived in Singapore for over 40 years, said he has been in touch with the Traffic Police since 1997 to advocate for making lane splitting illegal.

Lane splitting, he added, is banned in many countries, like Australia, Britain and the United States.

“In lots of other places, you cannot do that… Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide – they’re not allowed to split lanes. Simple as that,” he said.

Mr Aljunied said he agreed lane splitting should be disallowed, but added that a ban is unlikely to be effective unless properly enforced, which would require additional manpower on the roads to carry out checks.

Other motorists and riders echoed the sentiment.

Motorist Rick Chang, 52, said: “If you say it’s illegal but have no way of enforcing it, I’m not sure if it will be effective in changing behaviour.”

But motorcyclists pointed out that it is not always true that lane splitting is simply a reckless practice confined to riders who want to cut down on travel time.

Mr Karve, who uses his motorcycle to make the 40km commute to NTU every week, said it can get very uncomfortable for riders to sit in slow traffic.

Unlike motorists seated in the comfort of an air-conditioned car, motorcyclists can easily get overheated in Singapore’s hot and humid weather. This is made worse when traffic is congested and riders are enveloped in car exhaust fumes, which can make breathing difficult. 

“I think that discomfort, combined with the speed of being able to get past a lot of traffic, makes almost all riders opt to split lanes,” he said.

Fellow motorcyclist Fong Qin Seng, 38, said he tends to split lanes when the car in front of him is going way below the speed limit, and leads to traffic building up behind it. However, he splits lanes only when he feels it is safe, like when cars are stationary or moving at a slower speed.

“The advantage of biking is that you can save time, but there are only four lanes and motorcyclists have to squeeze in between during rush hour. If we don’t, the expressway will be even more jammed,” he said.

Mr Quah, who is generally against lane splitting, said there is one exception that actually “marginally increases safety for riders”.

This is when motorists split lanes at a traffic light or when cars are stationary.

He said: “If you’re in between two cars, and the light turns green, and a motorbike goes off, he actually gets clear from the danger of cars around him earlier.”

Need for defensive riding

One thing all motorcyclists agreed on was the need for riders to take precautions, with an eye on preventing or being prepared for accidents.

“The nature of motorcycling is inherently dangerous, especially compared with driving a car,” Mr Quah said.

Mr Fong, who has been riding for 18 years, said cars offer motorists more protection in the event of a collision, while motorcyclists are more vulnerable.

He added that during motorcycle lessons, more emphasis needs to be placed on defensive riding – the practice of anticipating potential accidents during adverse road conditions or when other road users engage in dangerous behaviour.

Mr Aljunied said while defensive riding is taught in riding courses, more can be done to add depth to the lessons, as riders often forget these skills after getting their licence.

Mr Sean Lin, who obtained his licence in December 2023, said his syllabus for defensive riding was split into three online Zoom lessons, followed by an expressway familiarisation session with brief safety points from instructors.

Mr Quah said the key to defensive riding is wider situational awareness while on the road, which includes paying attention to the facial expressions of other road users, instead of just their vehicles. This can indicate if they are paying attention and aware of incoming riders, which helps prevent accidents.

Experts said motorcyclists can also do more to keep themselves safe, such as wearing protective gear, planning their routes and avoiding dangerous areas, such as spots near heavy vehicles.

Mr Goldman and Mr Ong both touched on how many riders often ride in slippers, shorts, T-shirts and without gloves, which is “an accident waiting to happen”.

Mr Ong said Singapore’s hot weather sometimes deters riders from wearing safety gear, which includes covered shoes, armoured jackets and gloves.

On the importance of wearing protective gear, Mr Goldman said: “You dress for the fall, you have to anticipate for when or if you fall. You have to dress accordingly because riding is dangerous, especially in an urban environment.”

Problem of aggressive drivers

Both motorists and motorcyclists said they have encountered their fair share of drivers who engage in reckless behaviour on the road like speeding and tailgating.

Many of them also recounted coming across drivers who were overly aggressive on the road.

Mr Goldman said some motorists appear to have a sense of entitlement and rarely look out for motorcyclists, who are less visible on the road.

He said: “Very often, cars will change lanes without signalling. And there’s also this attitude, where some cars behind will close up as soon as you signal, to stop you going in. So, a bike could be crushed quite easily like that.

“It’s always: Be considerate, Be gracious. But as soon as somebody gets into a car, they become a different person.”

Mr Quah said this sense of entitlement might be a result of cars being so expensive to own in Singapore.

Ms Chua said: “Some drivers show respect and share the road safely with motorcyclists, while others may seem impatient or frustrated, especially in heavy traffic.

“I’ve encountered instances where car drivers fail to check their blind spots or give enough space to motorcyclists, which can be dangerous.”

Mr Karve said he felt the aggression is not targeted specifically at motorcyclists, but more experienced drivers, over time, appear to have developed a sense of complacency when it comes to safety protocols.

“I think there are a lot of videos online showing collisions that could have been avoided if drivers had done their due diligence,” he added.

Given the fast pace of life in Singapore, Mr Aljunied said people are so used to multitasking at work and while running errands that the behaviour carries on while they are on the road, resulting in people becoming less attentive.

He said: “When you make last-minute decisions, that’s when accidents happen. It’s all linked. My advice is: Once you get into your car, just sit for about one or two minutes before you start driving.”

He said this time should be used to plan routes and ensure that the person is mentally ready to be on the road. Riders should do the same, he added.

As for speeding, Mr Aljunied said: “If you start late, expect to arrive late. You cannot make up for the lost time because the only way to make up for the lost time is to break the rules. And when you break the rules, you risk an accident.”

Mr Lin agreed, adding that accident numbers should not have to keep rising if all road users abide by traffic rules in spite of the increase in vehicles on roads.

Mr Ong said that while some drivers may have “attitude problems”, riders need to take charge of what they can control, which is to avoid dangerous situations.

He advised riders not to go into red traffic zones, avoid lane splitting around large vehicles, keep a safe distance and stay alert to the overall traffic situation.

He also encouraged riders to ride in pairs to increase their visibility to motorists – one of the hallmarks of the Harley Davidson riding groups that ride in a staggered formation.

“Experienced riders should guide inexperienced riders. If everyone does it, maybe we can have more harmony among riders on the road,” he said.

Need to change road culture

Most road users agreed that neither bikers nor drivers are fully to blame for the spike in motorcycle-related fatalities.

Mr Karve said when conflict occurs between a car driver and a rider, riders will generally come off worse.

He said: “I don’t think accidents are simply a result of a lack of skill, but more of the mentality of wanting to squeeze into any gaps instead of just sitting in traffic.”

Mr Quah said the biggest issue is Singapore being a “hustle and bustle city-state”, and society at large should learn to slow down and be more aware of the environment.

Motorist Shannon Sim, 24, said the tense road culture seems unique to Singapore, adding that she was surprised at how gracious road users were when she was driving in the US while on holiday recently.

Mr Quah, who has driven cars and ridden motorcycles in several countries, recounted how he realised he was driving like a “mad man” while in Japan.

On why the Harley Owners Group has such stringent safety protocols for its members, he said: “In Singapore, behaviour begets behaviour. Sometimes, people think we are a bit dogmatic about these things. But if we behave well, we demonstrate positive behaviour, hopefully we will have a positive impact on other riders as well.”

Mr Karve and Mr Lin both said they felt conditions on Singapore’s roads can be overwhelming, with everyone always seemingly pressed for time.

Mr Karve said: “I think it’s hard to blame anyone. Everyone is just trying to get through without hurting anyone. Maybe we’re at a point in which there’s too much going on for people to be totally aware all the time.

“It’s the challenge of having both these types of vehicles on the road, and everyone acting in their own interests.”

Mr Chang, who drives his five children to school daily, said he has noticed how people can become “unyielding” during the rush hour.

The root of the issue, he said, is road users’ lack of patience and graciousness. He hopes there will be more initiatives reminding people to be polite and empathetic while commuting.

“Because the truth is, when you finish getting a driving licence, there is hardly anybody to remind you what road safety etiquette looks like,” he added.

Mr Quah said: “We are dealing with people’s lives and livelihoods. So, we can become more conscientious users overall, which is something we’ve talked about as a society for many years.”

While there are many facets to what causes accidents, he added that motorists should consider the perspective of other road users, including motorcyclists, to understand how to best respond to one another.

The Automobile Association of Singapore in a statement said safer and more pleasant road environments require fostering a culture of courtesy and consideration among road users, encouraging them to be gracious and look out for one another. It added that a holistic approach should not only be disseminating information, but also fostering a culture of responsible road behaviour.

It said: “This involves promoting active participation in road safety initiatives, encouraging open discussions within families, and creating accessible resources for ongoing education.

“By tailoring campaigns to specific demographics and emphasising the collective responsibility of different community members, we can establish a more effective framework for creating lasting awareness and promoting safer road practices.”