From personal tragedy to broader concern
It was a clear afternoon on March 26, 2022, when educator Joseph Lee, 49, was cycling along Senja Road, off Woodlands Road. Wearing a bright red T-shirt and helmet, he turned at the junction with Senja Way when a taxi in a right-turn-only lane illegally drove straight, side-swiping him. Lee was flung off his bike, and the impact fractured his collarbone in two places. The cabby's insurer later accepted full liability and paid damages, but the months of painful recovery and dependency on others for basic tasks were deeply frustrating.
"There are cyclists who break the rules, doing things like running red lights and nothing happens to them. But I did everything I was supposed to do. Yet, I was the one suffering," Lee said, reflecting a sentiment that resonates with many cyclists in Singapore.
Lee's ordeal comes amid worrying statistics. Accidents involving cyclists hit a four-year high in 2025, with 772 reported accidents, of which 17 were fatal. In 2024, there were 620 accidents, and in 2023, 581. The police attribute more than half of these accidents to cycling in a disorderly manner and failing to keep a proper lookout.
A blame game on the roads
The rising number of incidents has been accompanied by a troubling social dynamic. During a debate on the Ministry of Home Affairs' budget in February, then Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs Sim Ann noted how different road user groups blamed each other for failing to observe safety. She said: "When we talk to drivers, they will point out that motorcyclists, cyclists, or pedestrians are at fault. If we talk to motorcyclists, we are likely to be told that it is the drivers who are the problem." She emphasized that road culture in Singapore needs to change, and that all road users need to do better.
Steven Lim, vice-president for community outreach at the Singapore Cycling Federation, observed an increasing animosity between groups. He noted that some cyclists break traffic rules and beat red lights in groups, adding: "Some of them reason that traffic rules do not apply to them, and that they cannot be caught for beating red lights." Lim expressed concern that if everyone adopted a mindset of justifying rule-breaking, it would lead to the breakdown of society.
A 2025 incident serves as a stark example of the consequences: two cyclists were sentenced to jail and a short detention order respectively after beating a red light and colliding with a jogger.
Calls for a shift in mindset
Francis Chu, president of Safety for Active Mobility Users, is calling for a shift in mindset among all road users. He recounted a close encounter in Pioneer, where a lorry accelerated past him to beat an amber light, creating a suction draft that pulled his bicycle toward. The experience underscored the risks cyclists face from aggressive motorists.
Despite the challenges, Lee stays hopeful. He expressed hope that all road users would show more empathy, suggesting that mutual understanding could improve the climate of the roads.
As Singapore continues to grapple with these safety challenges, the call for a more respectful coexistence has never been more relevant. Whether the trend will reverse remains to be seen, but the sentiments from all quarters indicate a shared desire for safer roads.