"Whether or not there is a give-way sign, motorists should pay attention to the road situation before driving into a junction," said Superintendent Ko Shek-cheong of the Kowloon West traffic unit.

The crash was the 31st fatal traffic accident in the Kowloon West area this year, compared with 18 for the whole of last year. The figures have prompted police to issue road safety warnings and step up enforcement.

In yesterday's accident, the truck and the green-topped minibus, with four passengers, collided at the junction at about 10.45am. They then mounted the Temple Street pavement before coming to a stop.

Lam had to be freed by firemen and was declared dead in Kwong Wah Hospital at 11.10am.

"It happened all of a sudden and I could do nothing to avoid it," said truck driver Chan Wong-moon, 61, who was unhurt.

He said his truck was rammed by the other vehicle and pushed onto the pavement.

Police said a male passer-by was hit by the minibus, but escaped serious injury. The two other injured were the minibus driver and one of his passengers.

The three men, aged from 54 to 61, were treated in hospital for minor injuries. The junction was closed to traffic for about three hours until the two vehicles were towed away for examination.

Ko said the accident site was not a traffic black spot, and that there was no evidence to suggest either vehicle was travelling beyond the 50km/h speed limit. Both drivers passed a breathalyser test. Kowloon West traffic unit officers are investigating. So far, no one has been arrested.

Police figures show 101 people died in road accidents across the city in the first 10 months of this year, compared with 96 in the same period last year.