WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 22, 1982
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I
IT IS OF COURSE RIGHT TO BE PROPERLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE LIVELIHOOD OF PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS PROVIDED THEY DRIVE SAFELY AND SENSIBLY; BUT WE MUST ALSO BE PROPERLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY, HEALTH AND LIVELIHOOD OF PEDESTRIANS AT RISK OF BEING KILLED OR INJURED BY RECKLESS DRIVERS,+ HE ADDED.
HE EMPHASISED THAT THE REDUCTIONS IN THE PROPOSED FINES FOR SERIOUS OFFENCES, AND THE CHANGES IN THE DISQUALIFICATION PROVISIONS, SHOULD NOT BE MISINTERPRETED AS A WEAKENING OF THE GOVERNMENT'S RESOLVE TO TACKLE DRIVING BEHAVIOUR WHICH ENDANGERS THE LIVES OF OTHER ROAD USERS.
MR SCOTT JOINED THOSE UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS WHO NOTED IN THEIR SPEECHES ON DECEMBER 8 THAT FINES ACTUALLY IMPOSED IN CONNECTION WITH CONVICTIONS FOR DANGEROUS DRIVING FALL FAR SHORT OF THE EXISTING MAXIMUM PENALTY IN THE ROAD TRAFFIC ORDINANCE # AND WHO EXPRESSED THE VIEW THAT PENALTIES ON CONVICTION SHOULD REFLECT THE AIM OF DETERRENCE AS WELL AS PUNISHMENT.
+ I BELIEVE THEREFORE THAT THE QUESTION OF PENALTIES SHOULD BE REVIEWED AT AN APPROPRIATE PERIOD AFTER IMPLEMENTATION OF THE BILL, AND SHALL MAKE ARRANGEMENTS ACCORDINGLY, HE SAID.
ON THE ROAD SAFETY IMPLICATIONS OF THE BILL. MR SCOTT SAID THE BILL IS ONLY PART OF THE GOVERNMENT'S OVERALL PLAN TO IMPROVE ROAD SAFETY.
AMONG ROAD SAFETY MEASURES WHICH WILL BE IMPLEMENTED IN 1983 ARE THE PROVISION OF MORE PEDESTRIAN FACILITIES, MORE INVESTIGATIONS INTO AND REMEDIAL WORKS AT PEDESTRIAN PROBLEM SPOTS, A PUBLICITY CAMPAIGN CONCENTRATING ON PEDESTRIAN SAFETY, AND BETTER DRIVER TRAINING AT AN OFF-STREET DRIVER DRIVING CENTRE.
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