SINGAPORE \u2013 Just minutes into an anti-drink driving operation on Nov 15 in Potong Pasir, a man was spotted driving dangerously against traffic to evade the police roadblock. <\/p>\n
Traffic Police (TP) officers on motorcycles chased him, with sirens blaring and lights flashing. They caught up with the car in Upper Serangoon Road, a short distance away from the roadblock next to the bus stop opposite St Andrew\u2019s Village. <\/p>\n
The 35-year-old driver was arrested for dangerous driving and evasion of a roadblock. <\/p>\n
The operation had begun at about 12.30am, with officers setting up at the slip road from Serangoon Road to the CTE. <\/p>\n
The media was invited to observe the operation in the lead-up to this year\u2019s Anti-Drink Drive Campaign launched at Clarke Quay on Nov 21. Checks by The Straits Times found that the roadblock was flagged in the Waze traffic app even as the officers were setting it up. <\/p>\n
The operation also led to the arrest of a lorry driver after his vehicle was stopped at the roadblock at about 1.45am. The driver, another 35-year-old man, was arrested for drink driving when he failed a breathalyser test. <\/p>\n
Separately, officers caught a wanted man during checks on a GetGo car. The man, 35, was driving the rented vehicle with four passengers, including a man believed to be his brother. Officers arrested the driver as he was wanted for a police-related offence, but let the other four go. <\/p>\n
Inspector Saleha Mohd Sani, the team leader of the TP patrol unit handling the operation that day, urged drivers to be responsible. <\/p>\n
\u201cDrivers who drink drive endanger the safety of all road users,\u201d she said. \u201cThe Traffic Police conducts regular enforcement operations to crack down on drink driving and take irresponsible drivers to task for putting lives at risk.\u201d <\/p>\n
The annual anti-drink driving campaign is organised by TP and is usually held during the year-end festive season. <\/p>\n
This year\u2019s campaign sees TP collaborating with valet service providers for the first time to remind motorists that they should not drive if they intend to consume alcohol. <\/p>\n
In her opening address at the campaign launch event on Nov 21, Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs Sim Ann said there are still motorists who continue to take reckless risks with their own lives and those of other road users. <\/p>\n
Fatal drink-driving accidents have halved, from 10 between January and August 2024 to five for the same period in 2025. <\/p>\n
Ms Sim noted that the number of drink-driving accidents over the same period also fell, from 113 in 2024 to 94 in 2025. <\/p>\n
However, the number of people arrested for drink driving rose from 1,130 during the first eight months of 2024 to 1,173 for the same period in 2025. <\/p>\n
Ms Sim said the festive season should be about creating joyful memories with one\u2019s family and loved ones, and these celebrations should not end in tragedy. <\/p>\n Officers also caught a wanted man during checks on a GetGo car.<\/p>\n ST PHOTO: ARIFFIN JAMAR<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n Ms Sim said: \u201cDrink driving destroys lives on multiple fronts. Victims suffer physical injuries and emotional trauma that can last a lifetime, while offenders face imprisonment, financial punishments, and the burden of knowing that their selfish decision caused irreparable harm. Families on both sides are left to pick up the pieces from one reckless choice.\u201d<\/p>\n To tackle drink driving, TP had said in March that it will review the legal alcohol limit for driving in Singapore due to the rising number of drivers caught behind the wheel while drunk. <\/p>\n Currently, the\u00a0<\/p>\n legal limit is 35\u00a0micrograms of alcohol per 100ml of breath<\/p>\n <\/a>, or 80\u00a0milligrams of alcohol per 100ml of blood. <\/p>\n ST understands the review is ongoing. <\/p>\n To tackle drink driving, TP had said in March that it will review the legal alcohol limit for driving in Singapore due to the rising number of drivers caught behind the wheel while drunk.<\/p>\n ST PHOTO: ARIFFIN JAMAR<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n In 2024,\u00a0<\/p>\n 1,778 people were caught drink driving,<\/p>\n <\/a>\u00a0said TP in its annual statistics release in February. This was an increase from the 1,663 arrested for the offence in 2023. <\/p>\n<\/picture><\/div>
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