TRANSPORT
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Licensing
By year-end, Hong Kong had 525 551 licensed and government vehicles and 1 690 221 licensed drivers. There were 340 855 licensed private cars and 111 025 licensed goods vehicles, of which 69 132 were light goods vehicles. During the year, 30 417 new private cars and 5 362 new goods vehicles were registered. The average number of new learner-drivers was 4 635 per month.
Since the introduction of the Driving Offence Points System in 1984, 65 742 disqualifications have been ordered by the courts and 613 293 notices served under the Road Traffic (Driving Offence Points) Ordinance. The figures for 2002 were 2 382 and 31 229, respectively. Over the past five years, 444 237 drivers have incurred Driving Offence Points for committing scheduled offences under the Driving Offence Points System.
Driver Improvement Scheme
To further promote road safety, the Government launched the Driver Improvement Scheme in September. The scheme allows drivers to attend to their problematic driving attitude and behaviour and to rectify them through training courses. Four driving improvement schools were designated to provide driving improvement courses. Having regard to overseas experience, the Government has adopted a two-pronged approach to:
(a) empower the court to direct drivers who have committed any scheduled offence incurring five driving-offence points or above under the Road Traffic (Driving- Offence Points) Ordinance to attend a driving improvement course as one of the penalty options; and
(b) allow drivers to join a driving improvement course voluntarily.
A driver will have three driving-offence points deducted from his/her total driving- offence points already incurred, subject to satisfactory completion of the course.
Vehicle Examination
Vehicles are examined to ensure that they are roadworthy and properly maintained. Compulsory annual inspection applies to all public service vehicles, goods vehicles and trailers. In 2002, 199 247 vehicles were examined at the four government vehicle examination centres. Private cars over six years old and light goods vehicles not exceeding 1.9 tonnes are inspected annually at 23 designated car testing centres operated by the private sector. These centres conducted 149 614 vehicle examinations in 2002. Besides this, 3 489 spot checks were conducted on franchised buses to ensure their safety, roadworthiness and service standards.
New vehicle models imported into Hong Kong are required to undergo type approval to ensure their compliance with the regulations. In 2002, 509 vehicle types were processed and approved.
Booking of examination appointments on the Internet has been extended to include trailers, and electronic payment is now possible over-the-counter at all vehicle examination centres, providing additional convenience for the user. Computerised appointment systems are also being planned at the designated car testing centres, facilitating the reporting and monitoring processes.