SINGAPORE - A 78-year-old man who was hit by a man riding an electric bicycle was taken to hospital with serious head injuries, and police are appealing for information on the alleged hit-and-run case.

The accident happened outside the McDonald's outlet in Jalan Bukit Merah, towards Queensway, at about at 6.35am on Thursday (Aug 17) .

The Straits Times understands that a bystander called the police, but the suspect fled before the police arrived.

The suspect is believed to be a man in his 50s.

The victim suffered serious head injuries from the accident.

The police, in a statement, urged members of the public to come forward if they have information on the accident.

Those convicted of hit-and-run can be fined up to $3,000 and/or jailed up to 12 months.

Repeat convictions could mean a maximum fine of $5,000 and/or a jail term of up to two years.

If you have information on the case, call the police hotline on 1800-255-0000 or submit the information via the I-Witness portal http://www.police.gov.sg/iwitness.

You can also lodge a police report at any neighbourhood police centre or neighbourhood police post. All information will be kept strictly confidential.

A Straits Times report in June said there was a spike in the number of e-bike-related accidents last year.

Accidents resulting in injuries involving the devices went up from 39 in 2015 to 54 in 2016.

In the first six months of this year, the Land Transport Authority seized 218 personal mobility devices (PMDs) as part of its enforcement operations.