Caught a speedster on camera? Send clip to cops

Comfort Taxi relief cabby Mr Roy Lee displays his in-vehicle camera. The next time your in-car surveillance camera captures a speeding motorist on the roads, don't just upload it online. Send it to the Traffic Police, too. -- ST FILE PHOTO: MARK CHEO
Comfort Taxi relief cabby Mr Roy Lee displays his in-vehicle camera. The next time your in-car surveillance camera captures a speeding motorist on the roads, don't just upload it online. Send it to the Traffic Police, too. -- ST FILE PHOTO: MARK CHEONG

The next time your in-car surveillance camera captures a speeding motorist on the roads, don't just upload it online. Send it to the Traffic Police, too.

The authorities said video recordings of possible traffic violations are used in their investigations, and encouraged the public to send the clips if they lodge a police report against errant drivers.

"Members of the public who have original footage of such videos are advised to provide them at the earliest opportunity to the Traffic Police," it said in response to queries from The Straits Times.

Such investigations also require support from eyewitnesses with information to come forward, it added.

The reply came after a YouTube video of two cars racing went viral when it was uploaded two weeks back, attracting more than 500,000 views as of yesterday. The two drivers, who nearly caused an accident on the Kallang-Paya Lebar Expressway, have been called up by the Traffic Police.

MP Cedric Foo, chairman of the Government Parliamentary Committee (GPC) for Transport, agreed members of the public should step forward. While law enforcement lies in the hands of the police, he said that "as responsible citizens, it is incumbent upon us to report any illegal activities if we happen to bear witness to them". But he stressed that the first duty of a motorist is to be a "safe and courteous driver and not a citizen vigilante".

Behaviour on the roads has been worrying. Instances of speeding have been on the rise this year, with 129,578 violations in the first half of the year compared to 109,960 in the same period last year. The Traffic Police attributed the increase to stepped-up enforcement efforts.

Cases of inconsiderate driving, where motorists drive without reasonable consideration for other road users, are also up. There were 2,989 summons issued between January and June this year, compared to 2,814 during the same period last year.

But the number of offences for reckless or dangerous driving has taken a slight dip.

There were 105 such cases from January to June this year, compared to 128 cases in the same period last year. Such cases refer to individuals who drive a vehicle on the road recklessly, or at a speed or in a manner which is dangerous to the public.

MP Janil Puthucheary, who is also a member of the Transport GPC, said he hoped a culture of calling out dangerous drivers would continue to be developed.

"Members of the public should call out such drivers to ensure those who put themselves and others in danger don't have a chance of getting away."

maryamm@sph.com.sg

Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.