Cut by MP Lee Bee Wah during Ministry of Transport’s Committee of Supply Debate 2019
Safety and Recourse For Pedestrians
Sir
In 2018, the Minister revealed that the accidents involving PMDs, bicycles and power-assisted bikes increased threefold in 2017. Can the Minister share some updated statistics for 2018? How many such accidents were serious enough that someone was sent to hospital?
I understand the Active Mobility Advisory Panel’s preference to prioritise reduction of accidents. But accidents will happen, and some of them will be so serious that they require large hefty medical fees. Without insurance, the perpetrator or victim will have trouble paying off these fees.
It is a double blow when the accident victim rides as part of his work, and he can no longer do so because he is injured, or his vehicle is damaged.
For a start, let us make it mandatory for all employers who rely on their employees to use PMDs for work purposes. The government can work with insurance companies to help companies get a more affordable deal.
Compulsory registration of e-scooters will make it easy to implement mandatory insurance. I know most e-scooters will not get into accidents. But the same can be said for car drivers, and motor insurance is still mandatory. And just like for cars, we need constant enforcement to make sure people stay within the rules.
Next, to prevent unnecessary accidents in housing estates, it would be prudent to ban bicycles and PMDs at areas which are crowded or known to be accident-prone. The best organisation to do so would be the Town Council, which receives a lot of feedback on such issues.
Can LTA consider giving Town Councils the power to decide where cycling and PMD riding should be banned for the safety of residents, especially young children and the elderly.
Thank you.
Watch the speech here
Watch the response by MOT here