Defensive driving in Singapore
Singapore Police Force guidance on staying alert, anticipating hazards, protecting vulnerable road users, managing traffic queues, and controlling the vehicle on bends and hills.
Primary source: https://www.police.gov.sg/Knowledge-Hub/Traffic/Road-Safety-Tips/Road-Safety-Tips-for-Drivers
The Singapore Police Force (SPF) describes road safety as a shared responsibility and advises drivers to stay alert, drive carefully, and follow traffic rules, signs and signals. It recommends defensive driving because road conditions vary and hazards can appear unexpectedly (SPF, Road Safety Tips for Drivers).
Prepare and stay in control
SPF advises drivers never to drink and drive or drive when tired, to wear a seat belt and ensure passengers do so, and to maintain the vehicle regularly to reduce the chance of an accident caused by mechanical failure (SPF, Road Safety Tips for Drivers). See drink-driving guidance, seat-belt requirements, and vehicle breakdown and warning-triangle guidance for those topics in detail.
Anticipate hazards
SPF's defensive-driving guidance is to keep possible road hazards in mind; watch for smaller or vulnerable road users, including cyclists, power-assisted bicycle users, children and older pedestrians; and look out for signs and pedestrian actions that may create traffic hazards (SPF, Road Safety Tips for Drivers).
SPF also advises drivers to check blind spots and avoid changing lanes at bends, signal early, overtake only when the road is clear and never at bends or corners, and avoid tailgating by keeping a safe following distance (SPF, Road Safety Tips for Drivers). The Highway Code following-distance guidance covers the Code's stated distance advice.
Traffic Police videos on common accident causes
SPF's Online Learning Portal includes educational videos on common causes of traffic accidents. Its guidance says to check right, left and right again for vehicles and other road users before accelerating; slow when approaching signalised junctions and be prepared to stop at amber; and give way to traffic with right of way while allowing enough reaction time (SPF, Online Learning Portal).
For a turn across a pedestrian crossing, the portal advises giving way to pedestrians crossing when the Green Man is on, remaining within the turning pocket until the crossing is clear, and watching for oncoming traffic before turning. For vehicle control, it advises slowing on bends, slippery surfaces and in poor visibility, and travelling more slowly or selecting a lower gear if needed (SPF, Online Learning Portal).
The videos also advise signalling in advance, checking mirrors and blind spots before changing lanes, and planning routes early to avoid abrupt lane changes. For turning, they advise signalling early, slowing down, stopping to give way when needed and proceeding only after checking that it is clear. They also say to watch the vehicle ahead's brake lights and traffic ahead, and to consider braking distance when maintaining a safe following distance (SPF, Online Learning Portal).
When overtaking, SPF advises slowing if the vehicle ahead signals to turn, signalling before changing lanes, checking that the road is clear, and not overtaking when doing so would put road users in danger (SPF, Online Learning Portal).
Drive considerately
SPF encourages drivers to give a “Thank You” wave, give way to emergency vehicles such as ambulances and police cars, and be patient while older pedestrians are crossing (SPF, Road Safety Tips for Drivers). For specific duties, see giving way to emergency vehicles and pedestrian-crossing rules and guidance.
The SPF Final Theory handbook adds that drivers should stay patient and not rush or lose their temper. It advises against making provocative gestures when another driver makes a mistake or causes inconvenience, and recommends indicating an apology if you inconvenience another road user. These are courtesy recommendations in the handbook (SPF, Final Theory of Driving handbook, paras. 339–341).
Separately, Road Traffic Rules r. 31 prohibits a crowd or collection of persons from remaining in any road in a way that obstructs or prevents the free flow of traffic (Singapore Statutes Online, current Road Traffic Rules, r. 31). This is a statutory restriction on obstructive gatherings, distinct from the handbook's courtesy advice for drivers in queues.
Traffic queues and stationary vehicles
The current SPF Final Theory of Driving handbook advises drivers in a traffic jam to be patient, stay in their lane instead of weaving through slow traffic, and show courtesy by allowing vehicles from a minor road to join the main traffic stream. It also recommends planning routes before setting out, avoiding congested roads and peak-hour travel where possible, allowing plenty of time, and using radio traffic announcements and electronic signboards to avoid affected roads and respond to traffic information. This is handbook safety guidance; the courtesy advice is not presented here as a change to statutory right-of-way rules (SPF, Final Theory of Driving handbook, paras. 216–217).
When several vehicles are stationary in the left lane, the handbook advises drivers not to weave between them: use the next lane to the right and return left after passing. On a two-way road, give way to oncoming traffic before passing stationary vehicles (SPF, Final Theory of Driving handbook, paras. 218–219).
Bends and hills
Before a bend, SPF’s Final Theory handbook advises drivers to consider their speed and distance from the bend, its curvature, and traffic ahead, then choose a suitable speed and gear and plan their path. It says to reduce speed when going around a bend because higher speed and a sharper curve increase the force pushing the vehicle away from its path (SPF, Final Theory of Driving handbook, paras. 102–104 and 196–197).
Near the crest of a hill, the handbook advises caution because oncoming traffic may be hidden; keep left, proceed carefully, and leave a safe gap from the vehicle ahead. For a steep climb, it advises selecting first or second gear before starting uphill. For a descent, it advises choosing a suitable gear before the slope, using engine braking over a long descent to reduce the risk of the footbrakes overheating and fading, and keeping a greater following distance (SPF, Final Theory of Driving handbook, paras. 204–208).
Coverage debt
SPF's page presents general safety tips; it does not set a numeric safe-following distance, a complete vehicle-maintenance checklist, or a separate legal test for “defensive driving.” This article therefore presents the tips as SPF guidance and leaves detailed legal duties to the cited topic articles.
The handbook’s hill-driving section gives gear-number examples but does not explain how drivers should select an equivalent gear or mode in an automatic transmission.
This article states r. 31's prohibition but does not provide a penalty amount.