Speed limiters will soon be required for lorries in lower weight category

SINGAPORE – To improve road safety, all lorries must soon be equipped with a speed limiter if their maximum laden weight (MLW) is between 3,501kg and 12,000kg. This will ensure that these vehicles do not exceed the speed limit of 60kmh.

Lorry owners can start installing the devices in 2024, said the Traffic Police (TP) in a statement on Friday. Drivers will be given up to three years to do so, depending on the MLW and registration date of the vehicle.

Currently, it is compulsory for goods vehicles with an MLW exceeding 12,000kg to have a speed limiter installed.

“The speed limiter regime aims to improve road safety and driving behaviour. It complements other measures intended to reduce fatalities and injuries among all road users,” said the TP.

For lorries registered before 2018, a speed limiter must be installed before 2026 if their MLW is between 5,001kg and 12,000kg, and before July 2026 for those with an MLW of between 3,501kg and 5,000kg.

For newer lorries registered from 2018, drivers will have to install the device before 2027 if the MLW of their vehicle is between 5,001kg and 12,000kg, and before July 2027 if the MLW is between 3,501kg and 5,000kg.

Speed limiters will also be required for imported lorries to be approved from 2026. Relevant documentation should be submitted to the Land Transport Authority during the vehicle’s pre-registration.

TP said it was reviewing the laws “to strengthen deterrence against speed-limiter offences such as tampering and non-compliant speed limiters, and against unauthorised speed limiter works”.

To install speed limiters for lorries, companies will have to apply for an authorisation certificate online at

https://go.gov.sg/tp-authorised-agent-application

by Nov 30. A list of authorised companies will be published on the police website by Dec 31.

Companies that are currently authorised to install speed limiters in other vehicles are also required to apply for an authorisation certificate.

The TP encourages lorry owners to opt for an electronic control unit-based speed limiter, which is newer and estimated to be less expensive than its alternative, the mechanical speed limiter.

But owners should consult the device-installation companies as not all lorries are compatible with electronic control unit-based speed limiters.

After installation, a compliance check will be conducted by the TP to ensure the speed limiter is functioning properly.

Chairman of Singapore Transport Association Lim Kian Chin said the new implementation may slow traffic as not all lorry drivers keep to lanes on the left, which are meant for slower vehicles.

Lorry owners would also incur additional costs, he added. “But as a road user and for the safety of everyone on the highway, it is good that all lorries have speed limiters.”