Singapore's roads are getting busier - and one result is that the number of accidents has risen.

There were 7,499 accidents on the roads last year, 793 more than in 2005. In all, close to 10,000 people were hurt in these accidents, an 18 per cent hike over the previous year.

Fatalities also went up, to 190 from 173. And, as has been the case for the last six years, most of the dead were involved in motorcycle accidents.

Of the 190 killed on the roads last year, 102 were either riders or pillion passengers - the highest number since 2002, when 101 died, according to the annual road situation report for last year released by the Traffic Police yesterday.

This was despite efforts by the Traffic Police to make riders more aware of the dangers on the roads, including the use of shock tactics such as safety messages that depict the aftermath of bike crashes in gory detail.

Pedestrians formed the next largest group of victims, with 42 killed.

And even for covered vehicles such as cars, fatalities rose from eight in 2005 to 18 last year, though this was still lower than the 2004 high of 24.

The Traffic Police attribute the spike in accidents to three factors: more vehicles on the roads, more speed demons and more drunk drivers.

It said there were 2.34 fatal accidents per 10,000 vehicles last year, compared to 2.31 in 2005. The figures were based on the vehicle population of 776,571 in June last year, and 742,156 in the same month in 2005.

Meanwhile, close to one in four fatal accidents last year was speed-related. A total of 1,657 speed-related accidents resulted in injuries and death, up from 1,445 in 2005.

Drink driving also claimed more victims last year. Twenty-five people were killed in crashes involving drunk drivers, up from 20 in 2005, and 336 were injured - a 50 per cent jump from the previous year.

To make the roads safer, Traffic Police Commander Ng Guat Ting said more speed cameras may be deployed in areas favoured by speedsters, such as Bukit Timah Road and Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3.

She also stressed the need to cultivate 'zero tolerance' for speed demons and drink drivers: "Innocent loss of lives can be avoided if motorists adopt a mindset of zero tolerance towards socially irresponsible driving behaviour such as speeding and drink driving."

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Ng cited a 2005 police survey of arrested drink drivers: More than 80 per cent were aware of the severe penalties for drink driving.

"But they chose to take the risk, thinking they would not be caught. Toughening the legislation is not the answer. Changing mindsets through education is the key," she said.

The Traffic Police will continue with major national road-safety campaigns, but this year it will also expand these efforts to grassroots functions at community centres.

Localising the road-safety messages seems to work, she said, given that the number of elderly pedestrians who were knocked down last year decreased to 19 from 23 in 2005.

As part of the safety drive, police handed out more than 10,000 yellow neon bags - which helps pedestrians to be seen by motorists at night - to the elderly last year.

Said Mr Raymond Koh, marketing director of leading liquor distributor Pernod Ricard,"These messages will take time to bear fruit. At the end of the day, the onus is on the individual to take responsibility."