bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

moreOnThisArticles

urlAlias

commentCount

sponsorType

authorLocations

authors

paywallTypes

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

socialHeadline

headline

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

publishedDate

additionalInfoBoxes

images

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

createdDate

sponsor

factSheets

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

copyrighted

customTimezone

liveContents

SCMP Reporter

Q How can road safety be improved in Hong Kong?

It wasn't until I started learning  to drive recently that I  had a  taste of how rude and bullying some drivers are on extremely busy roads. I am dreading having to drive on these perilous roads. Recently when I was  on Wong Chu Hong Road, a taxi cut into my lane suddenly without signalling and stopped in front of my car abruptly - without using warning signals - leaving a distance of less than one car's length for me to stop. Thanks to my instructor,  we were luck to escape a serious accident.

I have found some major problems frequently occurring on the roads: overtaking or changing lanes and stopping without signalling; speeding; changing lanes or overtaking without shoulder checks or traffic checks through the rear-view mirrors; stopping vehicles, changing speed or directions under dangerous/forbidden conditions; using mobile phones while driving; tailgating; and drivers who don't use headlights in dark, misty or rainy conditions.

I strongly feel that the purpose of a driving test is not just to get a licence and then do whatever you want on the roads. Learning to drive is a process of building up responsibility to be self-aware and self-disciplined.  Many drivers forget the rules after getting their driving licence. Driving instructors should play a more important role in improving driving safety, not only to train new drivers but also to retrain and educate illegal drivers.

Donna Wong, Pokfulam

It's been five months since the tragic deaths of 23 people on a KMB bus. Five months on and we now have an official report identifying 39 potential danger zones on Hong Kong streets - but I'm not holding my breath for any action to be taken soon.

In a typical knee-jerk reaction, the Highways Department quickly erected an additional roadside barrier along the site where the bus left the road and fell 31 metres to the hillside below. However, no extra reinforcement action has been taken on the 1km stretch of road  before the accident site, where the drop is almost 50 metres  on to cement.

I hide my face in embarrassment when I tell my friends in other countries of the deathtraps  in Hong Kong, like the unbelievably high 100km/h speed limit on the two-lane flyover on the Tolo Highway outside Hong Lok Yuen.

Friends are  shocked when I tell them Asia's World City only recently made it mandatory for drivers to  use headlights  at night.

I will be knocked off my feet if  action is taken to address the 39 trouble spots identified in the report.

G Marques, Mei Foo Sun Chuen

David Lorimer (SCMP December 7) is, of course, correct in stating that reducing speed reduces fatalities, but this is an over-simplification. Lower speed naturally reduces the severity of an accident, but does not necessarily avoid the accident itself.

The causes of accidents are many and complicated.  The recent report on highway safety is to be applauded in that it did not take the easy option and blame the highway as the main culprit, but, while identifying dangerous places in need of review, it laid blame squarely where it belongs - on  drivers.

It went on to mention speeding and tailgating, but there is a long list of  faults, including  failure to use signals, failing to keep left when not overtaking, improperly adjusted headlights or not using headlights at all, changing lanes when there is not sufficient space to safely move into and improper use of the horn.

Pedestrians and cyclists are not without blame. Certainly speeding is an area that should be policed, but  this  tends to overlook  other areas causing  frustration and accidents. Traffic management does not always seem to be carried out by experienced drivers.

The Education Department must lend its support, as well as the media. As for parents who do not use seatbelts  for their children, I just can't understand the mentality.

Michael Clarke, Pokfulam

After my first visit to Hong Kong last year I wrote to the government saying that I thought  vehicles travelled far too fast and dominated the main shopping areas and that being a pedestrian in Hong Kong was unpleasant.

The roads from Central to Causeway Bay are rather like a Grand Prix circuit and pedestrians are intimidated by the 'right of way' mentality of drivers. This is reinforced by the barriers on the pavements and funnelling pedestrians on long hikes just to cross a road. Buses, in particular, travel far too fast and too close to the pavements.

The whole system needs re-engineering, but given the fact that re-engineering the hardware would be almost impossible, that leaves the software: change the mindset of drivers.

Name and address supplied

Roundabouts are common in other parts of the world but this is not the case in Hong Kong. This is probably the reason why drivers are not aware of the correct roundabout procedure. Most drivers are very apprehensive when approaching roundabouts due to their lack of knowledge.

I drive past two roundabouts on a daily basis - one on Tai Tam Road and another at the junction of Repulse Bay Road and Deep Water Bay Road. At least twice a week I notice near-accidents  due to drivers being unaware of the rules. Last week even a police motorcycle was in a near-collision as a result of being unaware of the give-way procedure at the Repulse Bay Road roundabout.

The roundabout rules are simple - give way to vehicles already on the roundabout and to those vehicles entering the roundabout from the junction immediately to your right.

It is a common misconception that whoever approaches the roundabout first has the right of way. Some drivers even look to their left  before entering the roundabout. These two practices will undoubtedly result in a collision.

Cheryl Wilson, Tai Tam



Talkback