Five hundred personal alarms were given to the elderly living around Jalan Kukoh by the Active Retirees' Association on Saturday morning.

The alarm, which emits a loud siren and a flashing red light when a button is pushed, can help improve the safety of seniors as they cross the road, said the association's president Jackson Chia. "Speeding vehicles are common and many (road accident) victims are older people who are less alert," he said. "But with the alarm, seniors are encouraged to raise their arms and flash the light as they cross."

The association plans to distribute a total of about 5,000 of the alarms to the elderly over the next few weeks in areas such as Beach Road and Bukit Merah.

For more information on distribution locations and dates, call the Active Retirees' Association hotline at 6242-5721.