Update on Outcome of Mandatory Installation of Speed Limiter on Heavy Vehicles since Its Introduction

7 Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye asked the Minister for Home Affairs (a) when was it made mandatory for heavy vehicles to be equipped with a speed limiter; (b) since then, whether there have been any cases of tampering with these speed limiters; (c) whether the number of speeding offences among heavy vehicles has dropped since speed limiters have been made compulsory; and (d) if so, by how much.

Mr K Shanmugam: Since 1999, the Traffic Police (TP) has required all heavy vehicles, with a maximum laden weight greater than 12,000 kilogrammes, to be installed with speed limiters which impose a speed limit of 60 kilometre per hour.

From 1999 to 2020, 24 cases of tampering of speed limiters were prosecuted and convicted. This is an offence under the Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Speed Limiters) Rules. First-time offenders are liable for an imprisonment term of up to three months or a fine of up to $1,000. Repeat offenders are liable for an imprisonment term of up to six months or a fine of up to $2,000.

TP only started tracking the breakdown of speeding violations for those committed by heavy vehicles with speed limiters from 2011 and therefore is not able to provide a before-and-after comparison since the start of the speed limiter regime in 1999.