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The Police will run a one-week territory-wide pedestrian road safety campaign from tomorrow (March 26) to April 1, with a view to reducing traffic accidents involving pedestrians, in particular senior citizens, through education, publicity and enforcement.
Stringent enforcement actions will be taken during the campaign. The Police will issue summons against pedestrians who have jaywalked or committed other serious traffic offences. Verbal warnings will be given to those who have committed minor traffic offences. Officers from the Police Regional Road Safety Teams will distribute publicity leaflets at various locations in the territory to enhance pedestrians¡¦ road safety awareness and urge the public to comply with road traffic regulations.
A Police spokesman said that common pedestrian offences included disobeying light signal; crossing within 15 metres of a footbridge, a pedestrian subway or a pedestrian crossing without using such facilities; and climbing over a kerbside fence or through a central reservation onto a carriageway.
Police figures showed that there were 565 pedestrian casualties from January to February this year, among which 10 persons were killed. Compared with the same period in 2013, there was an increase of five casualties and an increase of one fatality. Among the ten deceased, seven persons (70 per cent) were aged 60 or above, an increase of one person as compared with the same period last year.
Ends/Tuesday, March 25, 2014
Issued at HKT 09:47
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