Singapore: Elderly Pedestrian, 79, Killed in Bukit Batok Crash; 61-Year-Old Driver Arrested

A 61-year-old motorist has been arrested following a fatal traffic accident in Bukit Batok that claimed the life of an elderly pedestrian on December 22.

The police and the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said that they were alerted to the incident at about 5 pm along Bukit Batok West Avenue 9, in the direction of Bukit Batok West Avenue 8. The accident involved a car and a pedestrian.

A 79-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene by an SCDF paramedic. The police said the 61-year-old driver was arrested for driving without due care and attention, causing death. Investigations into the circumstances surrounding the crash are ongoing.

The fatal incident comes amid a rise in serious traffic accidents in Singapore this year. Traffic Police figures show that there were 3,818 traffic accidents resulting in injuries and deaths in the first half of 2025, marking an 8.9% increase compared with the same period in 2024.

Accidents involving vulnerable road users continue to be a major concern. In its mid-year traffic report, the Traffic Police noted that elderly pedestrians and motorcyclists account for a disproportionate share of traffic-related fatalities and injuries.

In the first half of 2025, there were 116 accidents involving elderly pedestrians, up from 98 during the same period last year. The number of elderly pedestrians killed in traffic accidents more than doubled to 15, compared with six in the first half of 2024.