Oral Reply by Second Minister for Transport Ng Chee Meng to Parliamentary Question on Safety Devices in Private Hire Cars and Taxis

Dr Chia Shi-Lu asked the Minister for Transport

a.     whether all taxis are equipped with airbags, particularly for the front seats;

b.     if not, which taxi companies have not done so; and 

c.     whether the Ministry intends to make the installation mandatory in line with international road safety standards.

Mr Ang Hin Kee asked the Minister for Transport whether the Ministry will consider making it mandatory for all vehicles which provide hire and reward services to be installed with safety devices and safety features to avoid incidents that compromise road safety for their passengers and road users.

Reply by Second Minister for Transport Ng Chee Meng:

1.     We impose the same safety requirements on taxis and private hire cars as on private cars. Seat belts for the driver and front and back seat passengers are mandatory. However, we have not made airbags mandatory, as they are generally considered by the industry to be a supporting feature, to supplement seat belts. If seat belts are used properly, the injury risks to passengers are already greatly reduced. There is no international agreement or norm on the installation of airbags.

2.     Nevertheless, all the taxi companies in Singapore have taken the initiative to procure taxis with airbags when expanding or renewing their fleet. Today, about 70% of all taxis in Singapore are equipped with airbags, compared to about 23% five years ago.