SINGAPORE: Few things trigger Singaporeans more than watching people drive badly. From online forums to Facebook pages dedicated to naming and shaming bad drivers, this issue occupies a unique space in the Singaporean psyche.

However, bad driving is more than just a pet peeve. According to the Singapore Police Force, the number of traffic accidents resulting in death increased to 139 in 2024 from 131 in 2023 and 104 in 2022. This figure represents a five-year high.

Over the years, the government has taken steps to deter irresponsible driving. In 2019, lawmakers significantly increased the maximum sentences that may be imposed for careless and dangerous driving, as well as drink driving.

The government stated in parliament on May 7, 2024 that the penalties for errant driving were “already quite stiff”, but this view does not appear to be shared by the public.

For example, when a 37-year-old driver was sentenced to one year's imprisonment after a fatal hit-and-run accident, the overwhelming public sentiment online was that the sentence he received was a mere slap on the wrist, considering that a life was lost.

Therefore, when parliament passed a law on Jan 7 removing mandatory minimum sentences for first-time dangerous and careless driving offenders, many parliamentarians raised concerns as to whether or not the authorities were going soft on such offences.

Why do road traffic laws appear too...