Compulsory Third-party Insurance and Traffic Rules Training for Cyclists

Er Dr Lee Bee Wah asked the Minister for Transport whether he will consider (i) making third-party insurance for cyclists compulsory so that in the case of an accident, victims can make a claim without resorting to civil suits; and (ii) requiring cyclists to attend compulsory training to familiarise themselves with road traffic rules in the interest of public safety.

Mr Lui Tuck Yew: It is not practical to require every single person who wants to ride a bicycle to first have mandatory third-party insurance or to go through compulsory training. Cycling proficiency programmes in other countries, such as Bikeability in the United Kingdom and AustCycle in Australia, are also voluntary. Our approach is to impart the relevant knowledge on safe road use to different groups of cyclists through targeted platforms, such as talks and exhibitions at community events and in schools.