Hong Kong police to step up action against jaywalking, poor driving with number of fatal traffic accidents at 3-year high
- Hong Kong recorded 61 fatal traffic accidents in the first seven months of the year, the most since 2020
- Police say one of the reasons for the jump is an increase in pedestrian and vehicle traffic after the pandemic
Police on Thursday said Hong Kong had recorded 61 fatal traffic accidents as of the end of July, the most for the seven-month period since 2020.
“One of the reasons the number has risen is that traffic of both pedestrians and vehicles has increased after the pandemic,” Senior Inspector Chan Ho-man of the force’s road safety unit said.
Thirty-eight pedestrians, 23 of whom were aged 65 or above, were killed in accidents and the rest of the fatalities were motorcycle riders, drivers, passengers and cyclists, the force added.
In the first seven months of 2020, 64 fatal traffic accidents were reported, but the number fell to 45 in the same period in 2021. Fatalities rose slightly to 46 in the January-to-July period last year.
“We found that many accidents involved pedestrians not paying full attention when crossing the road, such as using phones, or not using crossing facilities properly,” Chan said, referring to features such as zebra crossings, footbridges, pedestrian tunnels and traffic lights.
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Pedestrians walking along car lanes and crossing the road on red lights were also among major reasons for the accidents, he said.
“On average days, we observed that some parents even run red lights with their children,” Chan said.
He said the force would step up enforcement action against unsafe behaviour by pedestrians and drivers from Monday.
“Our goal is to protect life by changing behaviour, and reminding all road users to stay alert and follow the rules,” Chan said.
The operation will target illegal pedestrian conduct such as ignoring red lights, climbing road fences or central reservations, and not using crossing facilities, according to the force.
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Pedestrians caught behaving illegally faced immediate fines of up to HK$2,000 (US$256) or even prosecution, the force warned.
Careless, inattentive and dangerous driving would also be targeted by police in the operation.
“We believe illegal driving behaviour is another major reason for serious and fatal traffic accidents,” Chan said.
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Trucks, taxis and minibuses were the three types of vehicles involved in fatal accidents the most, he said.
But Chan did not provide further details on the operation or how long it would run.
“The aim is to maximise the outcome with minimum resources. We cannot stop enforcement after a certain time,” he said.
The force was also conducting a publicity campaign at different spots across the city on Thursday and Friday.
