Half of traffic accidents involving suspected drug or etomidate use between 2023 and 2025 were fatal

SINGAPORE – Between 2023 and 2025, there were 38 traffic accidents linked to drug and etomidate use.

Of these, 19 led to deaths.

In response to queries from The Straits Times, the police said on May 20 that of the 19, nine involved etomidate while the remaining 10 involved only drugs.

Etomidate is an anaesthetic that has been used in e-vaporisers, known as Kpods.

The breakdown of the cases provided by the police shows a worrying surge in traffic accidents linked to drug and etomidate use.

Of the 38, two were in 2023, seven in 2024, and 29 in 2025.

The cases in 2023 did not involve etomidate, while only one of the cases in 2024 involved etomidate.

But in 2025, 18 cases involved etomidate.

That year also saw a new trend of both drugs and etomidate used together, as found in seven of the 18 cases.

The police added that the cases are currently at different stages of investigation and prosecution.

In February, Ms Valerie Lee (Pasir Ris-Changi GRC) asked a parliamentary question about protocol when traffic accidents are suspected to be linked to vaping and drug use.

Coordinating Minister for National Security K. Shanmugam replied that if the Traffic Police suspect drug or etomidate use in the event of a traffic accident, a blood test will be required.

He added that there are already enhanced penalties if a motorist causes an accident while driving under influence.

A first-time offender convicted of dangerous driving causing death while driving under the influence can be jailed for up to 10 years, and disqualified from driving for at least 12 years.

In May 2025, a car driven by a 30-year-old man with a 28-year-old female passenger collided with a bus in Punggol. The woman died.

The police found 42 e-vaporisers and more than 1,200 pods in the car, with some containing etomidate.

Etomidate was later found in the blood samples of both occupants.

In November 2025, an 83-year-old woman died after a car mounted a pavement along Teck Whye Lane and crashed into her.

The driver was found to have been driving under the influence of etomidate.

Separately, the first motorist convicted of driving under influence of Kpods was given over 6 years’ jail and caning in March.

New laws to tackle vaping were passed in March and have come into effect from May 1.

This includes fines of up to $10,000 for vape users, while sellers can be handed fines of up to $200,000 and six years’ jail.

Smugglers can be fined up to $300,000 and jailed for nine years.

Kpod users can be jailed for up to 10 years and fined $20,000, while those who sell Kpods face up to 10 years’ jail and five strokes of the cane.

Those who import Kpods are looking at up to 20 years in jail and 15 strokes of the cane.