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LCQ13: Statistics on driving offences
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     Following is a question by the Hon Andrew Cheng Kar-foo and a written reply by the Acting Secretary for Transport and Housing, Mr Yau Shing-mu, at the Legislative Council meeting today (May 26):

Question:

     Regarding the driving offences of drink driving, drug driving, dangerous driving and dangerous driving causing death, will the Government inform this Council of the following since 2007:

(a)  the respective numbers of traffic accidents involving the aforesaid offences each year and, among such accidents, the respective numbers of cases in which the drivers involved were convicted (set out in the attached table); and

(b)  among the cases in (a) in which the drivers involved were convicted, broken down by year and offence, of:

(i)  the highest and lowest penalties imposed;

(ii) the number of drivers who attended and completed the driving improvement course after being convicted; and

(iii)the number of drivers who, after being convicted, were involved again in traffic accidents related to any of the aforesaid driving offences, and the number of such accidents; among such accidents, the number of cases in which the drivers were convicted again and the highest and lowest penalties imposed on them?

Reply:

President,

     My reply to the two parts of the question is as follows:

(a)  According to the Police, the annual average numbers of traffic accidents involving drink driving (Note 1), drug driving, dangerous driving or dangerous driving causing death are 582, 2, 285 and 28 respectively. A breakdown of the accidents by year and offence from January 2007 to April 2010 is at Annex 1 (Table A).

     The annual average numbers of drivers convicted of drink driving, drug driving, dangerous driving or dangerous driving causing death offences are 1,037, 3, 283 and 21 respectively. A breakdown by year and offence from January 2007 to April 2010 is at Annex 1 (Table B). These drivers were not necessarily involved in traffic accidents (e.g. some of the drivers were prosecuted for exceeding the prescribed limit of alcohol concentration in their breath in random breath tests). The Police do not have a breakdown of convicted drivers involved in traffic accidents.

(b)  The highest and lowest penalties imposed on drivers convicted of drink driving, drug driving, dangerous driving or dangerous driving causing death, categorised by year and offence, are at Annex 2. The numbers of drivers on second or subsequent conviction of any of the above driving offences, and the highest and lowest penalties imposed on them are listed at Annex 3. Generally speaking, the court takes into account all the circumstances of individual cases when handing down sentences.

     According to the records of the Transport Department (TD), the numbers of drivers who attended and completed the driving improvement course in 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010 (as at April 30) are 4,048, 3,911, 5,845 and 3,442 respectively. These include drivers who attended the course voluntarily; who had accumulated ten or more points under the Driving-offence Points System and were required to attend the course on a mandatory basis; and who were ordered by the court (Note 2) to attend the course.  The TD does not have a breakdown of drivers who attended and completed the course following conviction of drink driving, drug driving, dangerous driving or dangerous driving causing death offences.

Note 1 : Drink driving offences include driving a motor vehicle with an alcohol concentration exceeding the prescribed limit and related offences such as refusing to take a breath test or refusing to provide a specimen of breath, etc.

Note 2 : Under the Road Traffic Ordinance (Cap 374), with effect from  February 9, 2009, if a court convicts a person of drink driving, dangerous driving, dangerous driving causing death, driving in excess of speed limit by more than 45 km an hour, motor racing or speed trials, the court shall, unless for special reasons not to do so, order the person to attend and complete a driving improvement course.  The numbers of drivers ordered by the court to attend and complete the course are 623 in 2009 and 576 in 2010 (as at April 30).

Ends/Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Issued at HKT 16:43

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