Reporting a traffic accident
When Traffic Police require a Traffic Accident Report, who may lodge it, and how to lodge it online or at a police station.
Primary source: https://www.police.gov.sg/Knowledge-Hub/Traffic/Traffic-Matters/Reporting-Traffic-Accidents-and-Offences
A Traffic Accident Report is not required for every crash in Singapore. Traffic Police publish a closed list of situations that do require a report. If the accident does not involve any of those situations, parties exchange particulars and report the matter to their insurers under the Motor Claims Framework (SPF, Reporting Traffic Accidents and Offences).
When a report must be lodged
A traffic accident report must be lodged when the accident involves one or more of the following (SPF, Reporting Traffic Accidents and Offences):
- Fatality.
- Injuries where at least one person involved was taken to hospital from the accident scene by an ambulance, or any party involved was injured and obtained outpatient medical leave for 3 days or more.
- Damage to government property.
- A foreign vehicle.
- A pedestrian or cyclist.
- Hit-and-run.
If none of those apply, a traffic accident report is not required. Parties involved are required to exchange particulars and report the matter to their respective insurance company, in accordance with the Motor Claims Framework. SPF points readers to the General Insurance Association of Singapore website for more on that framework (SPF, Reporting Traffic Accidents and Offences).
GIA’s current reporting window is in a separate vault article.
Who should lodge it
Parties who were involved in or had witnessed the traffic accident (SPF, Reporting Traffic Accidents and Offences).
How to lodge it
A report can be lodged online via the SPF e-services website under the Traffic Accident Report section. That mode requires a Singpass account and an email address (SPF, Reporting Traffic Accidents and Offences).
Alternatively, the report may be lodged at any police station. SPF notes that waiting times may be longer during peak periods (SPF, Reporting Traffic Accidents and Offences).
Information to provide
SPF lists (SPF, Reporting Traffic Accidents and Offences):
- Date, time, and location of the accident.
- Particulars of involved parties, including name and NRIC/passport number (local/foreign).
- Particulars of witnesses, if any.
- Damage to and position of the vehicle(s) involved.
- Registration number and description of other vehicle(s).
- A brief description of how the accident happened.
- Scanned documents for reports lodged online, for example a sketch plan.
If an involved party is driving a foreign vehicle, SPF also asks for foreign address, local residential and company address if available, local/foreign contact number and email, and — for foreign motorists without a Singapore driving licence — driving-licence classes, licence number, and expiry date (SPF, Reporting Traffic Accidents and Offences).
Reporting a non-accident traffic violation
To report a non-accident traffic violation witnessed on the road, SPF says a Police Report must be lodged first before an investigation can begin. The witness should be willing to testify in court and should, where possible, have an independent witness or corroborating photo/video evidence. The available online channels are Feedback on Road Users and Police Report, found under SPF E-Services (SPF, Reporting a Non-Accident Traffic Violation).
SPF explains that the Police Report lets Police verify the reporter’s particulars and submitted information and conduct investigative follow-up; action is taken against the motorist if the offence is made out (SPF, Reporting a Non-Accident Traffic Violation).
Coverage debt
- Duty to stop at the scene (Road Traffic Act s 84) is not summarised here.