Brain injury, fractures: Cyclists recount dangers of riding along Tanah Merah Coast Road

New Paper

5 days ago

Life has not been the same for Ms Kathleen Seng and her family since she suffered a traumatic brain injury and partial memory loss from a cycling accident along Tanah Merah Coast Road.
In February 2022, the retiree - a seasoned cyclist of 25 years who used to frequently join overseas expeditions - was cycling at the back of a group of four when her friend hit a large rock on the road and fell.
Ms Seng swerved to avoid running over her friend and fell off her bike. She was unconscious for two weeks, and woke up unable to move or talk coherently for a month.
Three years on, the right side of the 54-year-old's body remains significantly weaker, even with the help of physiotherapy.
Tanah Merah Coast Road has a straight 10km-long stretch with a dedicated on-road cycling lane stretching from Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal to Changi Ferry Terminal, which allows cyclists to travel uninterrupted at high speeds.
The dangers of cycling along Tanah Merah Coast Road were brought to the fore by a Straits Times Forum letter writer, who wrote on May 19 that increased construction activity along the stretch has raised the risk of cycling accidents there.
The writer, Mr Michael Price, 66, pointed to a large number of heavy vehicles stopping illegally along the cycling lane to wait their turn to enter construction sites, and how they scatter construction debris on the road.
The Singaporean, who is originally from the UK, fractured his hip socket - part of the pelvis - when he was flung off his bicycle after he hit a rock the size of a fist along the road in May 2024.
He said the increased construction activity comes amid the expansion of Changi Airport, with Terminal 5 (T5) in the works.
Mr Price added that the heavy vehicles often push the speed limit.
Tanah Merah Coast Road has a speed limit of 70kmh.
Development works for T5 resumed in 2022 after a two-year hiatus during the pandemic. The mega terminal, which broke ground on May 14, is expected to be completed by the mid-2030s.
Works related to T5 that have been completed so far include a new runway, an underpass for vehicular traffic, and tunnels for baggage and automated people-mover systems similar to the Skytrain.
Also along Tanah Merah Coast Road is a worksite for the Land Transport Authority's (LTA) Changi East Depot for the Cross Island Line and some workers' dormitories.
The accident took the retired business owner off cycling for almost a year, and he said he had to rely on painkillers extensively and use walking aids in the first four months after the accident.
Mr Michael Price fractured his hip socket after he was flung off his bicycle when he hit a rock along Tanah Merah Coast Road in May 2024. PHOTOS: MICHAEL PRICE
Mr Price noted that it is challenging to weave through traffic on Tanah Merah Coast Road, as many heavy vehicles stop in the cycling lane.
He added that drivers of these trucks often wash or clean debris off their vehicles at the side of the road.
Meanwhile, Ms Seng still needs to be accompanied by her husband, Mr Ng Bur Kiat, 60, whenever she leaves home as she cannot run errands independently.
Mr Ng, a technical sales manager, makes it a point to rush home after work every day to bathe Ms Seng, who retired about 10 years before the accident.
Ms Seng told ST that her memory was "gone" after the accident, and that she could not remember anything that happened.
Mr Ng added: "Right after she got discharged, she thought our son was still in secondary school, when he was actually in his last year of university... She still thinks our sons are younger."
He likened taking care of Ms Seng when she first got discharged to caring for a baby, as he had to teach her everything from scratch, such as how to put on a shirt or get out of bed.
Three years on, the right side of Ms Kathleen Seng's body remains significantly weaker, even with the help of physiotherapy. PHOTOS: COURTESY OF NG BUR KIAT
Mr Ng said the police had investigated the accident and concluded that no party was liable. His family made insurance claims totalling about $1 million under Ms Seng's personal insurance policy.
Describing his wife's recovery as a "miracle", Mr Ng said the family has chosen not to blame anybody.
Ms Seng is hoping for a full recovery for her right arm, which now hangs limply by the side of her body when she walks. She is undergoing electrotherapy, which uses electrical energy as a form of medical treatment.
She added: "Everything that is over, is over. I am just looking forward, for good things to come."
In January 2025, another cyclist sustained a collarbone fracture after the front tyre of his bicycle ran into a sharp metallic object along the same road, causing him to fall off.
Mr Lee sustained a collarbone fracture after the front tyre of his bicycle ran into a sharp metallic object along the same road, causing him to fall off. PHOTOS: MR LEE
Mr Lee, 43, who did not want to give his full name, had to wear an arm sling for three weeks and was on hospitalisation leave for 60 days.
He has not returned to cycling - something he used to do three or four times a week.
Back in April 2023, Mr Jonathan Lau, an oil and gas consultant in his 40s, fractured his left wrist when he hit a rock along Tanah Merah Coast Road.
He said he felt incapacitated when he had to stay in a cast for three months, and had "a bit of post-traumatic stress disorder" when he returned to cycling about six months after the accident.
He has not gone back to cycling along Tanah Merah Coast Road, although he lives nearby in East Coast, and has no plans to do so.
Several cycling-related accidents have happened along this stretch over the years. These include one where a teenage cyclist collided with a stationary car in 2018 and another involving a cyclist who ran into a stationary truck parked in the cycling lane in 2021.
Responding to ST's queries, LTA said on May 30 that it has been carrying out enforcement operations against illegal parking along Tanah Merah Coast Road. It added that it will step up enforcement against motorists who do not comply with traffic regulations.
"Motorists are reminded to park responsibly in designated parking locations to prevent obstructing or endangering other road users," it added.
Cyclists manoeuvring traffic with heavy vehicles parked in the cycling lane, along Tanah Merah Coast Road, on the morning of May 30. PHOTOS: ANDREW POH
Regarding speeding heavy vehicles, the Traffic Police said it deploys speed cameras and conducts speed enforcement operations to detect speeding violations involving all vehicles, including heavy vehicles, in Tanah Merah Coast Road.
The National Environment Agency said its cleaning service provider cleans Tanah Merah Coast Road daily, with manual cleaning carried out in the afternoon, and a mechanical road sweeper being deployed at night.
Mr Mark Cheng, associate director of law firm PKWA Law Practice, said victims can potentially pursue claims if they can clearly prove that a party failed to keep the debris off the road.
To justify these claims, evidence such as photos of the debris, dashcam footage from other cyclists or vehicles, and witness statements should be gathered and preserved.
Mr Cheong added that personal injury lawyers can request site inspection or maintenance records from contractors to identify potential lapses in safety or clean-up measures.
None of the cyclists ST interviewed have pursued legal action.
Cycling-related injuries
Common injuries caused by cycling accidents include musculoskeletal injuries such as superficial abrasions and fractures, said Dr Ang Shiang-Hu, head of the department of emergency medicine at Changi General Hospital.
He added that cyclists who break their falls using their arms may suffer wrist fractures, elbow injuries or collarbone fractures, while higher-speed accidents may result in lower limb fractures.
Some cyclists may also suffer from fractures that displace the cervical spine - which is the vertebrae in the neck - which could cause paralysis, as well as injuries that could lead to impairments of nerve, spinal cord or brain function, and major trauma, he said.