Don’t be caught speeding under new stiffer penalties

With the stiffer penalties for speeding in 2026, what should I do to avoid getting a ticket?

If you have been driving daily for more than a couple of years without getting into trouble with the Traffic Police, chances are, your typical driving speed and style are fine.

From the beginning of 2026, the minimum number of points for speeding is six, up from four. It may be a good idea to be extra conscious about how you are using the accelerator, as well as sharpen your awareness of the roads.

This is as speeding violations have surged by 45.5 per cent to 118,076 cases in the first half of 2025, compared with 81,141 cases for the same period a year ago.

According to the Traffic Police, the hike may be due to more enforcement operations and the activation of the speed enforcement function in more red-light cameras in Singapore.

More than 42,000 speeding violations were picked up by the red-light cameras since the speed enforcement function was activated on April 1, 2025.

One thing to note is how speed limits on major roads are not uniform. They range from 40kmh to 70kmh. On the expressways, they range from 70kmh to 90kmh. It is important to watch out for the speed limit signs because there are no other warning signs to inform you of a lower limit applying.

Busier roads with high traffic volume, multiple pedestrian crossings and locations like School Zones, which are specially demarcated areas fronting schools, all tend to have lower speed limits.

Usually, there will be early warnings where there are fixed speed cameras, so you can check your speedometer before the trigger point. Vehicles fitted with the next-generation on-board unit, which replaces the familiar in-car unit, will also be prompted when nearing a speed check area.

If you are in a high-power electric vehicle (EV), do be extra careful not to squeeze the accelerator after you pass a speed camera. These EVs may accelerate so quickly that they breach the limit while within the camera’s range.

Away from the expressways, drive with the assumption that every traffic light camera is also a speed camera. This means that it is a terrible idea to speed up when you are nearing a traffic light junction, unless you want to risk getting your picture taken for driving over the speed limit.

Remember that on many roads, the speed limit can change midway. One example is Holland Road. The maximum speed drops from 70kmh to 60kmh as you pass the Sixth Avenue junction towards Holland Village.