SINGAPORE - The Land Transport Authority (LTA) is in talks with motorcycle retailers on the feasibility of requiring all new two-wheelers here to be fitted with an anti-lock braking system (ABS).

ABS is an electronic feature that prevents wheels from locking up, thereby enhancing stopping power and control. All new cars here are already equipped with it, even though it has never been a legal requirement.

The Straits Times understands that the LTA has proposed rolling out the new requirement from Jan 1, 2025, starting with Class 2A (201cc to 400cc) and Class 2 (401cc and above) motorcycles. In response to requests for details, an LTA spokeswoman confirmed that the authority was in consultation with the industry.

Asked why the proposal does not include Class 2B (200cc and below) motorbikes, the spokeswoman would only say that the authority “will share more details when available”.

The majority of motorcycles here belong to Class 2B, and industry players estimate that less than a third of such new two-wheelers are equipped with ABS, compared with half of Class 2A motorbikes and most Class 2 machines.

In August 2023, Bukit Batok MP Murali Pillai raised the issue of ABS and other vehicular safety features in Parliament following a sharp increase in motorcycle-related fatalities.

Mr Murali, who has since been appointed Minister of State for Transport, had said “our regulations mandating safety features in vehicles are somewhat behind the curve”. He pointed out that safety features that are already widely adopted in cars, such as ABS, are still missing in motorcycles here, even though the latter are the most vulnerable vehicles.

In a 2020 policy paper, the World Health Organisation stated that more than a third of serious or fatal accidents could be prevented in Thailand if ABS was made mandatory there. It noted that 80 per cent of the motorcycles in use in the country were small-capacity machines, and that ABS would add only 10 per cent more to the purchase price of each motorbike.

Mr Norman Lee, owner of Singapore motorcycle workshop Race Werks, said ABS would “definitely improve motorcycle safety”. He added that several countries were already mandating the feature, but not across all engine capacities.

Mr Rex Tan, president of the Singapore Motor Cycle Trade Association, said the association is “in consultation with all stakeholders on this proposed implementation”. He declined to say more.

Motorcycle riders here welcomed the proposal, even though some reckoned ABS alone would not improve safety significantly.

Ms Lilian Hoa, 30, said mandating ABS would not make a big impact on road safety. “It doesn’t reduce the number of reckless riders on the road, which is the main reason for accidents,” said the assistant marketing manager, who has been riding for seven years. “I can brake well and safely with an ABS motorbike, but if somebody hits me from behind, I’m still a goner.”

Mr Daniel Lim, 28, said: “ABS should be mandatory, even for Class 2B bikes. You never really know how you’re going to react in an emergency, but having ABS gives you the option of just slamming the brakes without worrying about locking up the wheels.”

The apprentice in artificial intelligence, who has been riding for eight years, said: “The best thing is that ABS allows for some steering and control while jam-braking, which can allow for some last-minute avoidance of an accident. The peace of mind that ABS gives me is just something I don’t think I would ever feel comfortable doing without.”

Veteran rider Lai Meng, 64, said: “Both my 400cc scooters are equipped with ABS, but I don’t believe I have ever activated it as I usually ride with great caution and hardly go above speed limits.”

The retiree, who has been riding for decades, said putting in ABS may raise the cost of a motorbike, especially the smaller models, but added: “Riding with care and safety is more beneficial.”

ABS, however, does not always drive up the cost of motorcycles.

Ms Hoa noted that one of the motorbikes she rides – the Honda Winner X – has the same price for both the ABS and non-ABS variants.

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.