You have probably seen the video of a pedestrian wearing headphones and using her phone while crossing the road, which went viral last year.
If you haven’t, well, here it is.
Luckily, the SMRT bus captain, Mr Jakeabel, braked in time, preventing a possible tragedy.
Quick Reflexes Save Pedestrian
This close call happened on 13 Sep 2024 around 3:00 PM near Wisma Atria on Orchard Road.
Though more than six months have passed, Mr Jakeabel, 39, still shudders when recalling the experience.
Mr Jakeabel was driving bus number 972 as usual when he spotted a female pedestrian crossing the road.
Noticing the pedestrian was at least 300 meters away, he instinctively slowed down and honked while preparing mentally for an emergency stop.
The pedestrian, wearing headphones, didn’t hear the horn. Seeing this, Jakeabel decided to make an emergency stop.
At that moment, the pedestrian turned her head, saw the oncoming bus, quickly stepped back, and fled the scene.
“I was in shock and froze for about four minutes before I could react,” said Mr Jakeabel.
“Two passengers fell due to the sudden braking, but fortunately they weren’t injured. After I regained my composure, I safely took the passengers to the next stop and reported the incident to the bus operations control center.”
Public Transport Safety Improves
There were 185 serious accidents involving public buses last year, the lowest in three years.
In 2023, there were 200 serious public bus accidents, while 2022 saw 191.
Mr Jakeabel believes that a bus captain’s primary duty is to transport passengers safely to their destinations.
He stresses that it’s vital for captains to actively undergo training to enhance defensive driving skills, including participating in the “BC Drive Safe” course offered by the Singapore Bus Academy.
“However, road safety also depends on pedestrian cooperation. If you choose to wear headphones while crossing roads, lower the volume so you can hear surrounding honks and react in time,” he added.
Government Accepts Bus Safety Recommendations
The Bus Safety Tripartite Taskforce, formed in July 2024, surveyed 3,400 bus captains and 2,300 members of the public.
They also conducted face-to-face group discussions with over 200 people, proposing a three-pronged approach to strengthen bus safety.
On 5 Mar 2025, the government accepted the recommendations submitted by the Bus Safety Tripartite Taskforce.
The group believes that improving the road environment is a key focus and suggests that the Land Transport Authority and bus operators continue to collaborate with the Singapore Road Safety Council and Traffic Police to promote larger-scale road safety awareness campaigns.
Currently, seven out of every ten bus stops have measures such as bus lanes and bus priority boxes.
The group recommends reviewing whether bus lanes and priority boxes can be added to the remaining approximately 1,600 bus stops.
National Transport Workers’ Union Executive Secretary Yeo Wan Ling said that the union welcomes the recommendations submitted by the Bus Safety Tripartite Taskforce.
“Public transport workers are the backbone of the transportation network, making sure passengers’ journeys are smooth and efficient. Good support for workers is crucial, with their health and safety being top priorities.”
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