A woman died after being knocked down by a green minibus at a pedestrian crossing when it switched lanes in an attempt to overtake a red minibus at a Sai Wan Ho junction yesterday. The red minibus, which allegedly had stopped in a restricted area at the time of the incident, sped away before officers arrived. Police last night were seeking the driver for questioning. Yesterday's crash - the second fatal accident on the same Island Eastern Corridor slip road in six months - followed a spate of minibus accidents, including two fatal incidents, which has prompted the government to step up measures to improve minibus safety. A 75-year-old man was killed by a minibus 200 metres away on the same slip road in May. 'We will step up enforcement action against jaywalkers and illegal road users and warn the public over road safety in the area,' a police officer said. Cheng Chi-yim, 59, who lived in the nearby Hong Tung estate, was crossing the slip road at its junction with Tai Hong Street when she was knocked down just before 7.30am. Some witnesses told police a red light was showing for pedestrians. 'The victim walked out in front of the red minibus. The driver of the green minibus braked heavily but still hit her,' a police investigator said. 'She was thrown in the air and flew more than 10 metres.' Police said the minibus driver, 61, had not been drinking alcohol.
