Proposed Changes to Singapore’s Road Traffic Laws

In early July 2026, the government proposed changes to Singapore’s road traffic laws that would: 

• Make it an offence to simply hold a mobile phone while driving
• Significantly reduce the legal alcohol limits for motorists
• Enhance the penalties for dangerous or careless driving while drink-driving
• Impose harsher penalties for dangerous driving causing grievous hurt 

The proposed amendments, introduced under the Road Traffic (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill, are intended to improve road safety by tackling distracted and impaired driving. This comes amid concerns over an upward trend in traffic fatalities and violations, with Singapore seeing a 10-year high in road traffic fatalities in 2025: 

This article will take a closer look at the proposed changes.

Can I be Punished for Simply Holding My Mobile Phone While Driving?

Under the proposed law, yes.

If convicted in court, motorists who hold a mobile communication device while driving on a road or in a public place may be fined up to S$1,000, jailed for up to 6 months, or both, for a first offence. Repeat offenders may face a fine of up to S$2,000, imprisonment of up to 1 year, or both. Motorists could also face 12 demerit points.

The government has stated that the act of holding a mobile phone can itself distract drivers and increase the risk of traffic accidents.

The proposed amendment therefore adopts a stricter approach by discouraging motorists from handling their phones altogether while driving.

Similar legislation on road safety and mobile devices already exists in countries such as Australia, Japan, China, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and certain US states. There are already stories floating around the internet of Malaysian motorists fined for looking at their phones.

How is this different from the current law? 

Currently, an offence is committed only if a driver is:

1. Holding a mobile communication device; and
2. Using one of the device’s functions while the vehicle is in motion.

For example, a driver who is typing a message, making a call, scrolling through an application or checking notifications while holding a phone may commit an offence under the current law.

Under the proposed amendments, prosecutors would no longer need to prove that the driver was actively using the device. Merely holding the phone while driving would be sufficient to constitute an offence.

Traffic police may conduct enforcement using video and photo evidence submitted by the public.

Can I still use my phone for navigation purposes?

The proposed amendments are not intended to prohibit the use of mobile phones that are properly mounted on a phone holder, such as for navigation purposes.

However, drivers should avoid handling the device while driving. Even briefly picking up the phone to check directions, read a message or reposition the device may potentially expose the driver to liability under the proposed law. Getting familiar with voice commands may be your best bet. 

What are the Proposed Changes to the Drink-Driving Limit?

The proposed amendments would also lower the prescribed alcohol limits for drivers by more than half.

What does this mean for drivers?

In practical terms, drivers may exceed the legal alcohol limit after consuming significantly less alcohol than before.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has explained that even relatively low levels of alcohol can impair a person’s judgment, reaction time and ability to drive safely.

There is also no universal rule for how much alcohol a person can consume before exceeding the prescribed limits. Factors such as body weight, gender, metabolism, whether food has been consumed, and the type and quantity of alcohol consumed can all affect a person’s blood alcohol concentration.

As a result, motorists should not assume that consuming only one or two drinks will necessarily keep them within the legal limit.

Will first-time drink-driving offenders face jail terms?

MHA has indicated that it will work with the Sentencing Advisory Panel to develop sentencing guidelines recommending imprisonment for first-time drink-driving offenders who drive with very high blood alcohol levels.

Currently, first-time offenders may be fined between S$2,000 and S$10,000, imprisoned for up to 12 months, or both. They must also be disqualified from driving for at least 2 years.

While imprisonment is already available under the existing law, the proposed guidelines indicate that custodial sentences may become more likely even for first-time offenders in particularly serious cases.

Enhanced Penalties for Dangerous or Careless Driving while Drink-Driving

Serious offenders convicted of causing dangerous or careless driving while drink-driving may be subject to an additional 18 months of jail time— an increase of 6 months up from the current 12 months. 

Serious repeat offenders convicted of causing dangerous or careless driving while drink-driving, with a previous conviction for drink-driving, may be subject to an additional 3 years and 6 months of jail time— an increase of 1.5 years up from the current 2 years.  

Dangerous driving vs careless driving

Ever wondered about the difference between dangerous driving and careless driving? Dangerous driving in Singapore is associated with recklessness, demonstrating a certain degree of negligence. Meanwhile, carelessness is defined by a lack of care or attention.

High-profile dangerous driving cases

Recent high-profile road accidents have cast a spotlight on the meaning of dangerous driving. In Singapore, police officers can arrest dangerous drivers without a warrant. Individuals driving against the flow of traffic, disobeying traffic signals or weaving in and out of traffic are considered dangerous drivers. 

6 February 2026 

A 38-year-old woman was charged with two counts of careless driving after a woman was injured and a 6-year-old girl died after being hit by a car in an open-air carpark in Chinatown. 

29 May 2026 

A teenager was handed 18 charges for traffic violations which took place between January 2025 and January 2026, including a charge of dangerous driving causing hurt. The teen had exceeded the speed limit, run multiple red lights and driven against the flow of traffic.

17 June 2026

A 29-year-old man was charged with dangerous driving causing hurt, among other traffic violations, for crashing into a school bus along Cavenagh Road on the morning of 6 March 2024.  

Harsher Penalties for Dangerous Driving Causing Grievous Hurt

Penalties for dangerous driving are getting an update. 

The maximum jail term for first-time offenders will increase from 5 to 7 years. Repeat offenders may face up to 13 years in jail, up from the previous maximum jail term of 10 years. 

Note: The maximum penalty for careless driving causing grievous hurt remains unchanged. Under the current rules, first-time offenders will face up to 2 years of imprisonment while repeat offenders may be subject to up to 4 years of jail. 

Previous Road Traffic Bill Amendments (2025) 

If you’re thinking about how this all sounds very familiar, you’re not wrong. Just don’t confuse the latest slew of proposed amendments to the Road Traffic Bill with the ones from last year. 

Tabled in January 2025 and taking effect a few months later in June, the new sentencing regime stripped mandatory minimum jail terms and disqualification periods for first-time offenders charged with dangerous or careless driving offences. 

• The mandatory minimum imprisonment term for dangerous driving causing death was lowered from 4 to 2 years. 
• The mandatory minimum imprisonment term for causing grievous hurt was lowered from 2 to 1 year. 

No changes were made to the maximum penalties for either offence. 

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The proposed amendments reflect the government’s increasingly strict approach towards behaviours that can impair a driver’s attention, judgment and reaction time. Motorists in Singapore would do well to keep in mind these upcoming changes to the law and ensure they drive responsibly.