Traffic Offences in Singapore: Demerit Points & Traffic Fines (2023)

Just like many other offences in Singapore, traffic offences are not taken lightly and the offender will likely see themselves getting slapped with either demerit points, composite fines, or both.

Although there are different types of vehicle-related fines and offences in Singapore, in this article, we'll cover those pertaining to road or traffic offences, such as speeding, beating the red light, and dangerous road behaviour.

Before diving into the different types of traffic offences, we'll first give you a rundown of the Driver Improvement Points System (DIPS).

 

 

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Table of Content

• What is the Driver Improvement Points System (DIPS)?
• How many demerit points can I receive before my driving licence is suspended?
• Traffic Offences in Singapore with Demerit Points and Composite Fines
  • 0 Demerit Points with S$100/S$150 Composite Fines
  • 3 Demerit Points with S$150/S$200 Composite Fines
  • 4 Demerit Points with S$150/S$200 Composite Fines
  • 6 Demerit Points with S$200/S$250 Composite Fines
  • 8 Demerit Points with S$300/S$400 Composite Fines
  • 9 Demerit Points with S$300/S$400 Composite Fines
  • 12 or More Demerit Points with Composite Fines or Court Prosecution
• Traffic Offences Within Silver and School Zones
• Frequently Asked Questions

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What is the Driver Improvement Points System (DIPS)?

The Driver Improvement Points System, or DIPS for short, is a demerit points system that is enforced by the Singapore Traffic Police. It was first implemented by the Traffic Police in 1983 to make motorists adopt safer driving habits.

Every driver in Singapore starts with 0 points, but whenever a traffic offence or violation is committed, demerit points are added to the motorist's name.

 

How many demerit points can I receive before my driving licence is suspended?

New or probationary motorists (P-plate motorists) will have their driving licence revoked if they accumulate 13 or more demerit points during their 12-month probation period. They will also need to retake both the Traffic Police Theory and Practice Exam again to obtain their licence.

Do note that the driving test can only be retaken one year from the date of their licence revocation.

Non-probationary motorists with no previous suspension records who accumulate 24 or more demerit points within 24 months will have their driving licence suspended for up to 12 weeks.

Non-probationary motorists with previous suspension records who accumulate 12 or more demerit points within 12 months will have their driving licence suspended for up to 36 months.

Here is a table that summarises the suspension period for non-probationary motorists:

Suspensions	Suspension Period	Suspension Criteria
1st Suspension	12 weeks	24 points or more within 24 months
2nd Suspension	24 weeks	12 points or more within 12 months
3rd Suspension	12 months
4th Suspension	24 months
5th Suspension (onwards)	36 months

From 30 June 2021, motorists who promote or partake in illegal street racing will face enhanced penalties.

First-time offenders will be jailed for 1 year and receive a fine of up to S$5,000. As for repeat offenders, they will receive a jail term of up to 2 years and a fine of up to S$10,000. 

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Traffic Offences in Singapore with Demerit Points and Composite Fines

Now that you have a better understanding of DIPS, let's dive into the types of traffic offences that carry demerit points and composite fines.

FYI: A composite fine is a sum of money that has to be paid in order to avoid court prosecution. In other words, you pay the fine to avoid going to court.

 

0 Demerit Points with S$100/S$150 Composite Fines

Road/Traffic Offences	Demerit Points	Composite Fines
		Light Vehicle	Heavy Vehicle
Stopping in a yellow box	-	S$100	S$150
Insufficient warning signals
Making an unauthorised U-turn
Vehicles with a 60km/hr vehicular speed limit failing to keep left

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 3 Demerit Points with S$150/S$200 Composite Fines

Road/Traffic Offences	Demerit Points	Composite Fines
		Light Vehicle	Heavy Vehicle
Carrying excess pillion/pillion is not sitting astride	3	S$150	S$200
Rider failing to wear a helmet/wears a helmet insecurely while riding
Disobeying traffic direction of a Police officer, an employee of Authority, or a security officer engaged in regulating traffic
Conveying load that is not properly secured
Using tyres with ply or cord carcass exposed
Driver failing to wear a seatbelt or failing to ensure every passenger wears a seatbelt
Driver failing to ensure that a passenger below the height of 1.35m is properly secured by an approved child restraint or body-restraining seatbelt
Parking abreast of another vehicle
Parking within a pedestrian crossing
Stopping in a zebra crossing area
Parking within a Demerit Points No Parking Zone
Stopping within a Demerit Points No Stopping Zone
Driver failing to fill up every passenger seat in the driver’s cabin, or any additional cabin or enclosed space provided for the carriage of passengers or goods, before carrying any person on the floor of open deck goods vehicle

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4 Demerit Points with S$150/S$200 Composite Fines

Road/Traffic Offences	Demerit Points	Composite Fines
		Light Vehicle	Heavy Vehicle
Exceeding the vehicular speed limit by 1 to 20 km/hr	4	S$150	S$200
Exceeding the road speed limit by 1 to 20 km/hr
Failing to give way to oncoming traffic at a controlled junction
Failing to give way at an uncontrolled junction, junction, or roundabout
Crossing double white lines or a road divider
Obstructing the flow of traffic
Forming up incorrectly when turning left or right
Failing to give way to emergency vehicles such as ambulances, fire brigades or police vehicles
Driving in a dangerous manner while carrying a  load
Stopping on the shoulder or verge of an expressway
Stopping or remaining at rest on the carriageway of an expressway

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Road/Traffic Offences	Demerit Points	Composite Fines
		Light Vehicle	Heavy Vehicle
Exceeding the vehicular speed limit by 21 to 30 km/hr	6	S$200	S$250
Exceeding the road speed limit by 21 to 30 km/hr
Driving on the shoulder of expressways
Failing to securely tie or attach goods to a goods vehicle to prevent the goods from falling off
Offences committed by motorists at a pedestrian crossing
Driving or riding against the flow of traffic as indicated by traffic signs
Carrying passengers on a motor vehicle or trailer in a dangerous manner
Reversing unnecessarily on expressways
Failing to obey the 1.1 metres height restriction for persons carried on open deck goods vehicle
Carrying passengers when the clear floor space of the open deck goods vehicle is insufficient
Careless driving (without due care or reasonable consideration, where no hurt is caused)

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8 Demerit Points with S$300/S$400 Composite Fines

Road/Traffic Offences	Demerit Points	Composite Fines
		Light Vehicle	Heavy Vehicle
Exceeding the vehicular speed limit by 31 to 40 km/hr	8	S$300	S$400
Exceeding the road speed limit by 31 to 40 km/hr

Road/Traffic Offences	Demerit Points	Composite Fines
		Light Vehicle	Heavy Vehicle
Carrying passengers on a goods vehicle in a dangerous manner	9	S$300	S$400
Driving without due care or reasonable consideration for other road users

Road/Traffic Offences	Demerit Points	Composite Fines
		Light Vehicle	Heavy Vehicle
Failing to conform to traffic light signals (beating red light, etc.)	12	S$400	S$500
Using mobile communication devices while driving (on the road or public place)		1st offence: Fine not exceeding $1,000 or imprisonment of up to 6 months or both 2nd offence: Fine not exceeding $2,000 or imprisonment of up to 12 months or both
Exceeding the vehicular speed limit by 41 to 50 km/hr		Prosecution in court
Exceeding the road speed limit by 41 to 50 km/hr
Exceeding the vehicular speed limit by 51 to 60 km/hr	18
Exceeding the vehicular speed limit by 51 to 60 km/hr
Exceeding the vehicular speed limit by more than 60 km/hr	24
Exceeding the road speed limit by more than 60 km/hr
Reckless or dangerous driving (where hurt is caused or not caused)

Traffic Offences Within Silver and School Zones

To ensure the safety and protection of senior citizens and student pedestrians, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has enhanced the demerit points and composite fines for traffic-related offences in Silver and School Zones.

These zones can usually be identified by a blue sign and road markings, as well as increased road safety features such as road humps and pedestrian crossings.

Motorists who commit traffic offences in Silver and School Zones will incur two additional demerit points on top of the original demerit points. In addition, composite fines will be raised by S$100.

Road/Traffic Offences	Demerit Points	Composite Fines
		Light Vehicle	Heavy Vehicle
Disobeying traffic directions of a Police officer, an employee of Authority, or a security officer engaged in regulating traffic	9	S$300	S$400
Driving without due care or reasonable consideration for other road users	6	S$300	S$350
Exceeding the road speed limit by 1 to 20 km/hr
Forming up incorrectly when turning left or right
Driver failing to give way to oncoming traffic at a controlled junction
Driver failing to give way at an uncontrolled junction
Driver failing to give way at a junction of a one-way road where traffic flows from left to right
Driver failing to give way on the right at a junction
Driver failing to give way at a roundabout
Crossing double white lines or road divider
Exceeding the vehicular speed limit by 21 to 30 km/hr	8	S$400	S$500
Exceeding the road speed limit by 21 to 30 km/hr
Driving or riding against the flow of traffic
Driving without due care or reasonable consideration for other road users (where no hurt is caused)
Exceeding the vehicular speed limit by 31 to 40 km/hr	10
Exceeding the road speed limit by 31 to 40 km/hr
Driving without due care or reasonable consideration for other road users (where hurt is caused)	11
Failing to conform to traffic light signals (beat red light, etc.)	14	S$500	S$500
Using a mobile communicative device while driving (on the road or public place)	14	1st offence: Fine not exceeding $1,000 or imprisonment of up to 6 months or both 2nd offence: Fine not exceeding $2,000 or imprisonment of up to 12 months or both
Exceeding the vehicular speed limit by 41 to 50 km/hr	14	Prosecution in court
Exceeding the road speed limit by 41 to 50 km/hr
Exceeding the vehicular speed limit by 51 to 60 km/hr	20
Exceeding the road speed limit by 51 to 60 km/hr
Exceeding the vehicular speed limit by more than 60 km/hr	26
Exceeding the road speed limit by more than 60 km/hr
Reckless or dangerous driving (where hurt is caused or not caused)

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Frequently Asked Questions

What's the penalty for beating a red traffic light?

The penalty for beating a red traffic light is 12 demerit points with a S$400/S$500 composite fine for light and heavy vehicles respectively.

If the offence was committed in a Silver or School Zone, the penalty is 14 demerit points with a S$500/S$600 composite fine for light and heavy vehicles respectively.

 

Can I still drive my vehicle if I have demerit points?

Yes, you can! You are only barred from driving if your driving licence is suspended or revoked.

P-plate motorists will have their driving licence revoked if they accumulate 13 or more demerit points within their 12-month probationary period.

For non-probationary motorists with no previous suspension records, their licence will be suspended if they accumulate 24 or more demerit points within 24 months.

For non-probationary motorists with previous suspension records, their licence will be suspended if they accumulate 12 or more demerit points within 12 months.

 

Are my demerit points permanent?

Demerit points do not stay on your record permanently. They will be wiped clean if you avoid committing any new traffic offences for 12 months after your last offence.

 

Is there any way to reduce the number of demerit points that I have?

Yes! Drivers can remove 4 demerit points from their record by completing a Safe Driving Course at the respectively Driving Schools.

The course fee is priced at S$125.19 and includes a 3.5 hours theory session, followed by a 50 minutes practical session. The 4 demerit points will only be deducted upon successful completion of both the theory and practical sessions.

 

How do I check my demerit points?

Motorists can check their demerit points via the Singapore Police Force website or SingPass App (recommended for convenience).

Follow these steps to check your demerit points on the SPF website:

1) Enter NRIC/FIN and your date of birth
2) Enter your Licence/Card Serial Number

Your current offences as well as their description will be shown via the SPF website.

 

How do I pay for my traffic or driving fines?

You can pay for your composite fines via the SPF website (SingPass login required), AXS machine or AXS e-station or through LTA/OneMotoring.

 

How do I make an appeal for a traffic offence?

Traffic offences can be appealed through the SPF website. Do note that appeals will only be considered for medical emergencies and all submitted appeals will need to be supported by relevant documentary proof.

To file an appeal, you will need the following:

1) Report reference number
2) Relevant documentary proof
3) Valid email address

 

Are there any benefits from being free of demerit points?

Select insurance companies will reward motorists with a Certificate of Merit (COM) discount. This 5% discount on their motor insurance (after deducting NCD) will be awarded to vehicle owners who remain free of demerit points for the past 3 years. 

 

 

 

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