Singapore drivers 'frustrated, stressed' with road conditions: AIG

Drivers here are often frustrated on the roads as they have to deal with "escalating unsafe and inconsiderate behaviour", according to a study released by AIG Singapore on Wednesday (Jan 20).

In an online survey of 800 respondents, 77 per cent said they were annoyed about driving conditions in Singapore, while 53 per cent reported feeling stressed. 

The top three causes of irritation for Singaporean drivers were reckless driving (60 per cent), drivers changing lanes without signalling (54 per cent), and drivers not allowing others to change lanes (50 per cent), AIG said. 

AIG Singapore Head of Auto Wong Siew Lee said the rise in impatient and reckless driving corresponded with the latest Traffic Police data, where the number of speeding violations increased by 6.5 per cent from 261,540 violations in 2013 to 278,545 violations in 2014.

Fatal accidents involving speeding also increased, from 39 accidents in 2013 to 42 in 2014, she added.

In the news release, AIG said it paid out 16,000 claims with a total value of S$117 million in 2015. 

YOUNGER DRIVERS MORE LIKELY TO ENGAGE IN RISKY DRIVING
​
The study found that younger drivers were particularly likely to engage in risky driving behaviour and run into road accidents: 63 per cent of drivers aged 18 to 35 admitted to being unsafe on the roads.

Out of this group, 27 per cent said they accelerated when the traffic lights turn amber. They were also more likely to be distracted by other activities while driving, such as programming their Global Positioning System devices (24 per cent), sending text messages (20 per cent), and using or checking their mobile phones (18 per cent). 

AIG Singapore claims data revealed that drivers in this age group have made the highest number of auto claims out of all age groups, and they are often fully or partially to blame for the accidents. 

In addition, the drivers, who are predominantly well-educated working professionals, frequently had young children on board, the insurer said. 

Ms Wong said road safety awareness and good driving habits need to be cultivated from a young age. “Regardless of whether the drivers are young parents or young adults, it is important to abide by road traffic rules, drive safely and show courtesy to other drivers. This will help tremendously in keeping Singapore’s roads safe and stress-free for all road users.”

As part of its advocacy efforts for safer communities, AIG Singapore launched a road safety education programme last year to help keep children in Singapore safe by teaching them basic traffic rules. So far, the programme has reached more than 2,600 pre-schoolers aged four to six years old, it said.