Inaccurate Hong Kong police speed guns still being used
Tens of thousands of motorists in Hong Kong are penalised each year for speeding, and among the equipment used by police to prosecute them are laser guns whose accuracy was found more than 2½ years ago to be unreliable.
An expert who tested the laser speed guns told police in 2014 that their allowance was too narrow and needed to be increased in fairness to motorists, the Post has learned. Police have continued to use them, however, without making the findings public or increasing the margin of error – known as the “technical allowance” (TA). Instead, police have undertaken a lengthy internal review of all such equipment, and are expected to shortly increase the TA, according to the expert.
Although motorists are still being fined and losing licence points based on the disputed TA, a source familiar with police policy says an interim approach has been adopted. Police will apply a more generous TA and drop or amend prosecutions if motorists in borderline cases challenge their penalties, the source says.
The controversy dates back to 2013, when local traffic police implemented a TA of 3km/h for its laser guns – meaning a motorist must be registered at 4km/h or more above the speed limit to be prosecuted. Previously the TA had been 5km/h.
