Freight association calls for warning signs on 'zigzag'
Extra warning signs should be erected in the zigzag section of the slip road where the fatal accident occurred to avoid another tragedy, says the Lok Ma Chau China-Hong Kong Freight Association.
Chairman Chiang Chi-wai said the section posed a potential risk to motorists and the 50km/h speed limit should be reduced.
These measures were necessary because the road had been turned into an S-shaped motorway for about 10 days and some motorists, mainly truck drivers, might not be familiar with the changed road.
The slip road is one of the main routes used by container trucks to go to the Lok Ma Chau border checkpoint, Mr Chiang said. 'Drivers, especially those driving container trucks, should slow down as low as 20km/h in the section to avoid similar accidents.'
One police officer said the section was not a traffic accident black spot and initial investigations showed there were 'proper and adequate' warnings and barriers. He said it was the first accident reported in the area recently.
Police figures show there were 945 accidents involving medium and heavy trucks in 2003, 1,011 in 2004 and 1,024 last year. In January, 14 people were killed and 1,338 injured in 1,126 traffic accidents across the city.
Yesterday afternoon relatives of the three victims burned paper offerings and joss-sticks in two separate road rites.
Lai Chun-man, the nephew of Yuen Long district councillor Lai Wai-hung, lived with his parents in Pat Heung.
