Stomper calls for stronger deterrents after cyclist jailed a week over pedestrian’s death: ‘One death is too many’
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A cyclist being jailed for a week after a collision that led to the death of an elderly pedestrian has sparked discussion over whether more needs to be done to keep pedestrians safe.
Stomper Safety First wrote to Stomp after reading comments on Facebook about the case and said some raised “valid points” that the authorities should consider when reviewing future safety and deterrence measures.
The Straits Times reported that Haaris Sulaiman, 22, was sentenced to one week’s jail on Aug 24 after pleading guilty to causing the death of an 83-year-old woman while cycling negligently on a footpath.
He was also ordered to pay $5,000 in compensation and will have to spend another 20 days behind bars if he fails to pay the amount.
The full-time national serviceman with the Singapore Police Force (SPF) at the time had been cycling along a footpath at Rochor Road on April 22, 2025.
The speed limit there was 10km/h, but Haaris was travelling at speeds of up to 14km/h at certain points.
While checking for oncoming vehicles at a junction, he failed to notice the woman walking on his left and struck her with the bicycle’s handlebar.
She fell and fractured her skull. Haaris stopped to help and called an ambulance, but the woman died from a head injury two days later.
Safety First said the case was particularly upsetting given the vulnerability of elderly pedestrians.
“It’s heart-wrenching if the elderly pedestrian who died happens to be one of our parents, grandparents or relatives,” he said.
Concerns about speeding cyclists and pedestrian safety
The case also prompted comments from readers about their own experiences with cyclists.
One commenter said speeding bicycles were a common sight on park connectors, footpaths and the Rail Corridor, adding that pedestrians sometimes have to take evasive action to avoid them.
Another described footpaths as increasingly stressful for pedestrians, saying people had to look left and right before taking steps.
Others questioned whether a one-week jail term was sufficient, while one commenter urged cyclists to use their bells to alert pedestrians.
Safety First said such comments highlight broader concerns about how cyclists and pedestrians share increasingly busy paths.
“The comments cited lots of speeding cyclists on park connectors (PCNs), and this is an area LTA should actively enforce before another fatal incident occurs,” he said.
He pointed to District Judge Lim Tse Haw’s remarks before sentencing Haaris: “Any death is one death too many.”
There were 772 accidents involving cyclists in 2025, a four-year high, with 17 fatalities.
This was up from 620 accidents in 2024 and 581 in 2023.
Police previously said more than half of the accidents were due to cyclists riding in a disorderly manner and failing to keep a proper lookout.
Calls for stronger enforcement and deterrent measures
Safety First feels the Land Transport Authority (LTA) should take the lead in stepping up enforcement on shared paths and park connectors.
“LTA must and should take the lead in strong and active enforcement of these shared paths to ensure better safety,” he said.
He also calls for a review of the laws surrounding serious cycling accidents, particularly as pedestrians and cyclists increasingly share the same spaces.
“A stronger deterrent, especially with a custodial sentence, ought to be meted out to send a strong message that a cyclist of any age, sex or profile must be held responsible if they cause grievous hurt and death,” he said.
It should be noted that Haaris did receive a custodial sentence, so perhaps what Safety First argues for is stronger custodial sentences.
Could paths be physically separated?
Beyond enforcement and punishment, Safety First believes infrastructure could also play a role.
He suggests physically separating pedestrian and cycling paths where feasible, such as with a narrow strip of greenery, kerb or barrier.
“Legislation may need to be reviewed, especially now that shared paths are going to be the future for car-lite mobility,” he said.
“All for greater safety, especially on PCNs and now shared paths.”
Measures already in place
LTA has introduced several measures in recent years aimed at improving safety for pedestrians and other path users.
Since July 2025, footpaths located alongside dedicated cycling paths have progressively been converted into pedestrian-only paths, where bicycles and non-motorised personal mobility devices are not allowed.
LTA has said it will continue implementing dedicated pedestrian-only paths and cycling paths where space allows, allowing pedestrians and active mobility users to keep to their respective paths.
First-time offenders convicted of riding on a pedestrian-only path can be fined up to $2,000 or jailed for up to three months, or both.
This is similar to Safety First’s suggestion that pedestrian and cycling paths be physically separated where possible.
Enforcement has also been stepped up.
LTA enforcement officers have been equipped with speed guns since 2018 to detect speeding on public paths, while Active Mobility Enforcement and Detection System cameras have been installed to detect speeding violations.
LTA said in June that it would progressively expand the camera network over the next few years.
The authority also conducts joint enforcement operations with the police and other agencies to catch errant active mobility users.
Safety First nevertheless feels more could be done, particularly as Singapore continues expanding its cycling network.
“Legislation may need to be reviewed, especially now that shared paths are going to be the future for car-lite mobility,” he said.
“All for greater safety, especially on PCNs and now shared paths.”
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