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Legislative amendments requiring the mandatory installation of reversing video devices (RVDs) on goods vehicles first registered on or after October 1 this year were gazetted today (January 17), a Transport and Housing Bureau spokesman said.
The new requirements, proposed in the Road Traffic (Construction and Maintenance of Vehicles) (Amendment) Regulation 2014 (the Amendment Regulation), aim at enhancing safety when goods vehicles are reversing.
"Apart from reflecting mirrors, a goods vehicle currently must be equipped with an automatic audible warning device to help warn pedestrians and other vehicles of the approach of a reversing goods vehicle. However, there are blind spots that the driver cannot detect at the rear of a vehicle, especially when a goods vehicle is loaded with goods. This may pose a risk to the traffic and pedestrians at the rear," the spokesman said.
"To further enhance the safety of reversing goods vehicles, legislative amendments are introduced to require the mandatory installation of RVDs in addition to reflecting mirrors and the audible warning device."
To address the trade's concern over the reliability of RVDs and the associated liabilities, a clause is included in the Amendment Regulation to provide for a defence if it is proven that the defect of an RVD occurred during the journey, or if adequate steps have been taken to repair a detected defect as soon as possible.
The Amendment Regulation will be tabled at the Legislative Council on January 22 for negative vetting. Subject to the approval of the Legislative Council, it will come into operation on October 1 this year.
Ends/Friday, January 17, 2014
Issued at HKT 15:00
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