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Following is a question by the Hon Andrew Cheng and a reply by the Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works, Dr Sarah Liao, in the Legislative Council meeting today (November 15):
Question:
As a number of fatal traffic accidents have occurred in Hong Kong in recent months, will the Government inform this Council:
(a) in respect of the past three years, of the number of traffic accidents involving reversing goods vehicles and the resultant casualties and, concerning the traffic accidents which involved drivers of taxis, public light buses, public buses and goods vehicles as well as other types of motorists respectively, a breakdown of the number of traffic accidents and the resultant casualties by the following seven causes of accidents involving motorists: tailgating, careless changing of lanes, failing to comply with traffic signals, falling asleep or feeling drowsy while driving, falling ill suddenly, speeding and drink-driving;
(b) whether it will expeditiously enact legislation to provide that a goods vehicle may be driven in the reverse mode only if it has been fitted with a closed circuit television system, and study the implementation of measures such as pedestrian and vehicle segregation or banning reversing of vehicles on certain narrow roads in Hong Kong; if it will, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(c) whether it will draw up measures to make it mandatory for all professional drivers to undergo annual medical examination and to attend road safety refresher courses on a regular basis, and to ensure that they will have enough time for rest; and whether it will consider increasing the penalty for the offence of dangerous driving causing death; if it will, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Reply:
Madam President,
The number of traffic accidents and casualties involving reversing goods vehicles, as well as the figures in the past three years involving drivers driving too close to the vehicles in front, changing lanes carelessly, failing to comply with traffic signals, speeding, drink driving and falling asleep/feeling drowsy/having sudden illnesses, with breakdowns by major vehicle types, are set out at the Annex to this reply.
We are very concerned about the recent traffic accidents involving reversing goods vehicles. In the past three years, the average number of traffic accidents involving reversing goods vehicles per year was 185, accounting for about 1.2% of the total number of traffic accidents. The number of accidents during the first ten months this year was 140, which is similar to the figures in the past few years. We will continue our efforts on various fronts to enhance the safety of reversing goods vehicles.
With effect from April 1, 2000, we have made it mandatory for all goods vehicles to be fitted with an automatic device that would give audible warning to nearby pedestrians when the vehicle reverses. Since then, the average number of traffic accidents involving reversing goods vehicles per year has dropped from 223 between 1997 and 1999 to 185 between 2003 and 2005.
In addition, it is also permitted under the law to install other devices on goods vehicles such as reversing sensors and video systems, which can help drivers to reverse safely. However, not all types of goods vehicles are suitable for the installation of reversing sensors, closed-circuit televisions or other video systems. The effectiveness and reliability of these devices are dependent upon the vehicle type and vehicle body form. If we are to mandate all goods vehicles to be fitted with such devices, we will have to specify the related technical requirements and standards, so that people can comply with the law, and departments can take enforcement actions effectively. However, we understand that most overseas countries do not mandate the fitting of these devices on vehicles. Hence, we are actively exploring with manufacturers of vehicles and these devices on whether and how the devices can be installed on different vehicles, with a view to specifying the related technical requirements and standards, so as to facilitate effective implementation.
In respect of improvements to the road environment, it has all along been one of the major tasks of the Transport Department (TD) to monitor the traffic and road safety conditions in all districts. There are some narrow roads or cul-de-sacs in the older built-up areas, where turning of vehicles may be difficult or impossible and vehicles have to reverse for access inevitably. Also, due to site and land ownership constraints etc, there are difficulties in implementing measures to segregate pedestrians and vehicles. For this reason, TD has been liaising closely with the District Councils to identify road sections with potential risks for reversing vehicles in each district. TD will consider on a case-by-case basis whether it is necessary to implement additional measures, such as provision of facilities to segregate pedestrians and vehicles, installation of signs to warn drivers and pedestrians of possible reversing vehicles, restrictions on the time or location of loading/unloading activities or restrictions on access by certain types of vehicles, taking into account the physical environment, practical needs of local residents and commercial activities, the knock-on impact on nearby roads, as well as the views of the local community.
In fact, the safety awareness and driving attitude of drivers are of prime importance in preventing traffic accidents involving reversing vehicles. We will continue to strengthen publicity on the points for attention when reversing through Announcements of Public Interest, leaflets and regular meetings with the trade. We will also enhance publicity on road safety awareness for pedestrians, especially elderlies and children.
Regarding the proposal of mandating all professional drivers to undergo annual medical examination and to attend road safety refresher courses on a regular basis, it should be noted that there are currently about 1.6 million commercial vehicle driving licence holders in Hong Kong. It is estimated that about 400 000 of them are professional drivers. However, except drivers of franchised buses and green minibuses, we are not able to identify, from among the over one million commercial vehicle licence holders which are professional drivers and which are merely licence holders but not drivers by profession.
Accordingly, there are practical difficulties for us to require all professional drivers to undergo annual medical examination, and this may result in all commercial vehicle driving licence holders having to submit their medical reports to TD every year before their licences can be renewed. This will not only cause inconvenience to all professional drivers, but will bring even greater inconvenience and nuisance to those who are not professional drivers but who hold such licences. Moreover, statistics show that traffic accidents directly related to the physical or mental conditions of commercial vehicle drivers are often individual incidents. Take last year as an example, there were only 47 such accidents, which accounted for less than 0.3% of the total number of the traffic accidents in the year. It may therefore be inappropriate and impractical to mandate all professional drivers to undergo annual medical examination at this stage.
For the same reason, mandating the over one million commercial vehicle driving licence holders to attend road safety refresher courses on a regular basis may not be reasonable or fair to the vast majority of drivers who have good driving practice and are law-abiding citizens. It also brings them inconvenience as well as financial and time costs.
We consider that a more targeted approach should be adopted by mandating all repeat traffic offenders, be they private car or professional drivers, to take driving improvement courses. We are drawing up proposals for submission to the Panel for Transport of this Council and will start consultation in due course. Separately, through the media and through regular meetings with the trade, we will urge members of the transport trades to attend, on a voluntary basis, driving improvement courses and specific training courses and safety workshops for professional drivers. We will also step up publicity and education efforts on the driving attitude and safety awareness of professional drivers.
As regards rest time for professional drivers, we have issued guidelines on working schedules to franchised bus and green minibus operators, which carry more than five million passengers daily, so as to ensure that their drivers have sufficient rest time. As for other professional drivers who are mostly self-employed rather than employees of any organisations, it is difficult to enforce or monitor their rest time. Nevertheless, in regular meetings with the transport trades, TD has been encouraging them to make reference to or follow the working schedules of franchised buses or green minibuses, with a view to ensuring adequate rest time for drivers.
Under the Road Traffic Ordinance, if a traffic accident involves the driving behaviour of the driver and causes the death of another person, the driver can be charged with causing death by dangerous driving. He is liable to a maximum fine of $50 000, five years' imprisonment and suspension of licence upon conviction. A driver will have his driving licence suspended for not less than two years for the first conviction, and for not less than three years for the second or subsequent convictions. To strengthen the deterrent effect against improper driving behaviours, we are now reviewing the penalty for causing death by dangerous driving, especially the term of imprisonment. We will make reference to the recent recommendation of the Court of Appeal. The review will soon be completed. We will submit our proposal to the Panel for Transport of this Council and will carry out public consultation with a view to introducing the legislative amendments as soon as possible.
Ends/Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Issued at HKT 12:32
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