Traffic Accidents Involving Public Bus Captains by Age Groups

Written Reply to Parliamentary Question 

Ms Valerie Lee asked the Acting Minister for Transport 

a.      since 2023, what is the number of traffic accidents involving public bus captains, broken down by age groups (i) 50 and below (ii) 50 to 60 (iii) 60 to 70 and (iv) above 70;

b.      whether accident severity differs across these groups; and

c.      what additional measures are in place for older drivers to ensure the safety of drivers themselves, bus passengers and road users.

Reply by Acting Minister for Transport Jeffrey Siow: 

1.     Since 2023, there were an average of 51 severe accidents per year attributed to bus captains aged 50 and younger, 27 attributed to bus captains aged between 51 to 60, 20 attributed to bus captains aged between 61 to 70, and 3 attributed to bus captains aged 71 and older. Accounting for the number of bus captains in each age band, bus captains aged 61 and above are more likely to be involved in severe accidents, even though the difference is relatively small in absolute terms.

2.      Medical assessments are required for bus captains aged 50 and above during their vocational licence renewals, to ensure they are medically fit to drive. Initiatives recommended by the Bus Safety Tripartite Taskforce are also being implemented to improve bus safety, such as the use of more technological tools like 360-degree cameras, and reducing continuous driving time.