SINGAPORE: Singapore will lower its legal drink-driving limit from 35 to 15 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath. The change will be made through amendments to the law later this year.
Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs Sim Ann announced the move in Parliament on Feb 27 during the debate on the Ministry of Home Affairs’ budget. The ministry plans to align Singapore’s limits with places such as Taiwan, Japan and South Korea. The message from the government is: if you drink, do not drive.
Ms Sim said research shows that even lower levels of alcohol can affect driving ability. Crash risk rises as alcohol intake goes up. She stressed that drink driving is a serious offence. Vehicle drivers do not stumble into it by accident. They make a choice that puts lives at risk. In recent years, several major crashes here have involved drunk drivers.
In a previous speech, Second Minister for Home Affairs Edwin Tong told Parliament that road traffic deaths have reached a 10-year high since 2016. Speeding cases rose 26 per cent last year compared with 2024. Red-light violations and related accidents increased by 27 per cent. These figures suggest a wider road safety problem, not just a drink-driving issue.
Under current law, first-time drink-driving offenders face fines between S$2,000 and S$10,000, up to 12 months’ jail, or both. They are also banned from driving for at least two years. Repeat offenders face fines between S$5,000 and S$20,000, up to two years’ jail, or both, with a minimum five-year ban.
The ministry is also studying changes to the Driver Improvement Points System. This could mean fewer points allowed before suspension and longer suspension periods. Ms Sim said such steps may be needed to deter unsafe driving and keep dangerous motorists off the road.
In response to questions from Members of Parliament, she added that the ministry is open to studying a new offence for cases where a driver deliberately puts others in danger. That offence could carry a higher maximum penalty than the current laws for dangerous driving causing death.
Foreign-registered vehicles are also under review. They form a sizeable group on local roads. The ministry is working on measures to strengthen enforcement against errant drivers, among them.
Beyond enforcement, the government is looking at new tools. Traffic cameras with video analytics and automatic number plate recognition are already in use. The Home Team Science and Technology Agency will test a centralised system to monitor artificial intelligence tools and ensure they meet governance standards.
Electric vehicles may soon be issued with distinct licence plates. Mr Tong said that this would help Singapore Civil Defence Force officers quickly identify an EV at a fire scene. EV fires are less common than those in petrol cars, but they require a different response, including wider safety cordons.
By the end of 2025, electric vehicles made up 7.4 per cent of Singapore’s car population, almost double the year before. They also formed about 45 per cent of all new car registrations last year. Clear identification could help both responders and the public react faster in emergencies.
From May, the Singapore Civil Defence Force will roll out a new islandwide emergency alert system called SG Alert. It will send notifications directly to mobile phones without requiring an app download. The system is meant to boost readiness during major fires, chemical incidents or terror attacks.
For Singapore drivers, a lower alcohol limit means less room for error. One drink could now push someone over the line. The broader signal is that the government sees a decline in road discipline and is tightening the rules. Whether through lower limits, stricter penalties, or sharper enforcement, the message is: drive sober or don’t drive at all.
