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SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 135
LESS ACCIDENTS AN INDICATION OF PROGEESS
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THE REDUCTION IN THE NUMBER OF ACCIDENTS AND CASUALTIES IN RECENT YEARS IS AN INDICATION THAT REAL PROGRESS IS BEING MADE TOWARDS IMPROVING STANDARDS OF ROAD SAFETY, THE GOVERNOR, SIR EDWAR YOUDE, SAID TODAY (SATURDAY).
SPEAKING AT THE ROAD SAFETY PATROLS ANNUAL REVIEW, SIR EDWARD SAID THAT CREDIT FOR THIS WAS DUE TO THE ORGANISATIONS INVOLVED AS WELL AS TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG FOR EXERCISING GREATER CARE.
HOWEVER, HE SAID HE FELT THAT THE NUMBER AND SEVERITY OF ROAD ACCIDENTS WAS STILL TOO HIGH AND IT WAS ESSENTIAL THAT OUR EFFORTS WERE NOT RELAXED.
SIR EDWARD ALSO POINTED OUT THAT MOTORCYCLISTS HAD LONG BEEN A CAUSE FOR PARTICULAR CONCERN, AS THE RATE OF FATAL AND SERIOUS INJURIES FOR MOTORCYCLISTS WAS THREE TIMES GREATER THAN THAT FOR DRIVERS OF OTHER TYPES OF VEHICLES.
+TO TRY TO IMPROVE THE SITUATION IN THE LONGER TERM, THE GOVERNMENT IS CONSIDERING A PROPOSAL THAT LEARNER MOTORCYCLISTS SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO UNDERGO A COURSE OF TRAINING AT AN OFF-STREET CENTRE BEFORE BEING ALLOWED TO RIDE A MOTORCYCLE ON A PUBLIC ROAD,+ SIR EDWARD SAID.
TURNING TO THE COMPULSORY WEARING OF SEAT BELTS, SIR EDWARD SAID THE REQUIREMENT HAD LIVED UP TO EXPECTATIONS AS A SIMPLE AND EFFECTIVE METHOD OF REDUCING THE TOLL OF DEATHS AND INJURIES ON THE ROAD.
+TO INCREASE FURTHER THE SAFETY OF DRIVERS AND PASSENGERS IN VEHICLES, WE ARE CONSIDERING THE EXTENSION OF THE COMPULSORY WEARING OF SEAT BELTS TO THE FRONT SEATS OF TAXIS AND LIGHT BUSES* AND OF THE REQUIREMENT TO FIT SEAT BELTS IN THE FRONT SEATS TO ALL NEWLY REGISTERED GOODS VEHICLES,+ HE SAID.
PRAISING PATROL MEMBERS FOR THE IMPORTANT ROLE THEY PLAY IN ENHANCING ROAD SAFETY, SIR EDWARD SAID THE KEY TO GREATER SAFETY LAY MAINLY IN GREATER CARE BY EVERYONE AND THE PRESENCE OF PATROLS WAS THE REMINDER TO EVERYONE USING THE ROAD OF THE NEED FOR SUCH CARE.
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