TUESDAY, JULY 6, 1982
COMPULSORY USE OF CAR SEAT BELTS PLANNED
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LEGISLATION WILL BE DRAFTED TO MAKE THE WEARING OF SEAT BELTS IN PRIVATE CARS COMPULSORY.
THIS FOLLOWS APPROVAL IN PRINCIPLE BY THE GOVERNOR-IN-COUNCIL TODAY OF THE GOVERNMENT'S INTENTION TO INTRODUCE THE NECESSARY LEGISLATION NEXT YEAR.
THE PROPOSAL HAS BEEN ENDORSED BY THE TRANSPORT ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND THE STANDING CONFERENCE ON ROAD SAFETY AND HAS THE STRONG SUPPORT OF THE HONG KONG AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATION AND THE INSTITUTE OF ADVANCED MOTORISTS.
A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID EXPERIENCE IN OTHER COUNTRIES SHOWED THAT FRONT SEAT OCCUPANTS WEARING SEAT BELTS WERE MUCH LESS LIKELY TO BE KILLED OR SERIOUSLY INJURED IN ACCIDENTS.
A STUDY CONDUCTED BY THE ROAD SAFETY DIVISION OF THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT INDICATED THAT IN HONG KONG A REDUCTION COULD BE EXPECTED IN THE SEVERITY OF SOME 60 PER CENT OF ACCIDENTS INVOLVING FRONT SEAT PASSENGERS.
UNDER EXISTING LEGISLATION, PRIVATE CARS MANUFACTURED AFTER JUNE 30, 1964 AND REGISTERED AFTER AUGUST 1, 1976 ARE REQUIRED TO BE FITTED WITH SAFETY BELTS TO THE FRONT SEATS.
+HOWEVER, THE STUDY SHOWED THAT ONLY ABOUT FOUR TO SEVEN PER CENT OF PRIVATE MOTORISTS IN HONG KONG WEAR SEAT BELTS WHILE DRIVING, THE SPOKESMAN NOTED.
HE ADDED THAT WHILE HONG KONG'S TRAFFIC SITUATION MIGHT BE THOUGHT TO BE DIFFERENT, CARS OFTEN TRAVELLED AT HIGH SPEEDS, SUCH AS WHEN ON HIGHWAYS, AND EVEN AT LOW SPEEDS A HEAD-ON COLLISION COULD RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURIES.
IT IS PROPOSED THAT THE COMPULSORY WEARING OF SEAT BELTS IN THE FRONT SEATS OF PRIVATE CARS SHOULD APPLY TO VEHICLES ALREADY REQUIRED TO BE FITTED WITH THEM UNDER CURRENT LEGISLATION,
+ABOUT 70 PER CENT OF THE PRIVATE CARS REGISTERED TO DATE MEET THIS REQUIREMENT AND THE PROPORTION WITHOUT SEAT BELTS WILL BE EVEN LOWER BY THE TIME THE NEW LEGISLATION IS
IMPLEMENTED, THE SPOKESMAN EXPLAINED.
PUBLIC AND COMMERCIAL VEHICLES ARE NOT REQUIRED AT THE MOMENT TO BE FITTED WITH SEAT BELTS. +HOWEVER, THE POSSIBILITY OF EXTENDING THE LEGISLATION TO COVER PUBLIC LIGHT BUSES AND TAXIS AT A LATER DATE WILL BE KEPT UNDER REVIEW, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.
THE BILL TO BE DRAFTED WILL TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES OF CHILDREN AND PEOPLE WITH MEDICAL CONDITIONS.
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