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SUNDAY, JANUARY 27, 1985
NT TRAFFIC CASUALTIES STILL TOO HIGH
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TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES CONTINUED TO DROP IN 1984 BUT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE KILLED OR INJURED WERE STILL MUCH TOO HIGH, SAID MR RICHARD SMALLSHAW, POLICE REGIONAL COMMANDER, NEW TERRITORIES.
SPEAKING AT THE ROAD SAFETY PATROLS NEW TERRITORIES REGIONAL INSPECTION AT YUEN LONG STADIUM THIS (SUNDAY) MORNING, MR SMALLSHAW SAID THAT THERE HAD BEEN AN EIGHT PER CENT FALL IN FATAL AND INJURY ACCIDENTS AND THIS FOLLOWED A 10 PER CENT FALL IN 1983 OVER 1982.
**HOWEVER, WITH OVER 140 PEOPLE KILLED, AND OVER 5 500 INJURED, THE NUMBERS ARE STILL MUCH TOO HIGH, ** HE SAID.
NOTING THAT OVER 50 PER CENT OF THOSE KILLED WERE PEDESTRIANS, MR SMALLSHAW STRESSED THAT THE HIGHEST PRIORITY MUST BE GIVEN TO THE SAFETY OF CHILDREN ON OUR ROADS.
TURNING TO THE PROVISION OF NEW ROADS TO COPE WITH THE DEVELOPMENT IN THE NEW TERRITORIES, MR SMALLSHAW SAID THAT IN 1985 WE WILL SEE THE OPENING OF THE SHATIN TO TAIPO COASTAL ROAD AND FURTHER PARTS OF THE NT CIRCULAR ROAD IN THE EAST AND THE SECOND STAGE OF THE TSUEN WAN BY-PASS IN THE WEST.
HE SAID, HOPEFULLY WE SHALL SEE A DROP IN ACCIDENTS ON THE OLD ROADS AS TRAFFIC DECREASES BUT THE EASING OF CONGESTION AND THE PROVISION OF FASTER HIGHWAYS OFTEN BRINGS PROBLEMS IN THEMSELVES.
"'WHILE POLICE HAVE A DUTY TO CONTROL TRAFFIC ON ROADS AND PREVENT INJUREY TO LIFE AND PROPERTY, AND PARTICULAR REGARD WILL BE PAID TO THE NEW HIGHWAYS, IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT ALL THOSE WHO USE THE ROADS DO SO CAREFULLY AND TAKE ACCOUNT OF THE SAFETY OF THEMSELVES AND OTHERS.
''THERE ARE NOW MANY MORE GRADE SEPARATED CROSSINGS SUCH AS PEDESTRIAN SUBWAYS AND BRIDGES, PARTICULARLY IN THE NEW TOWNS. IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT PEOPLE USE THEM EVEN IF IT DOES MEAN A. LONGER ROUTE. THE SHORTER ROUTE ACROSS THE HIGHWAY WILL ONLY LEAD TO INJURY OR DEATH, HE SAID.
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MR SMALLSHAW PRAISED THE ROAD SAFETY PATROLS FOR BEING AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE WORK IN PROMOTING SAFETY ON OUR ROADS.
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