SUNDAY, MAY 11, 1986
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FLASHING LIGHTS EXPERIMENT AT CHILDREN'S CROSSINGS
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AN EXPERIMENT USING FLASHING AMBER LIGHTS TO WARN MOTORISTS THAT A SCHOOL CROSSING PATROL IS AHEAD WILL BE LAUNCHED BY THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT ON THURSDAY (MAY 15).
THE SYSTEM ON TRIAL CONSISTS OF A PAIR OF VERTICALLY MOUNTED AMBER LIGHTS ERECTED BENEATH A +CHILDREN+ WARNING SIGN AND +SCHOOL+ SUPPLEMENTARY PLATE ABOUT 75 METRES IN ADVANCE OF THE CROSSING POINT ON BOTH APPROACHES.
WHEN A SCHOOL CROSSING PATROL IS IN OPERATION, THE LIGHTS WILL FLASH INTERMITTENTLY, WARNING DRIVERS THAT SCHOOL CHILDREN ARE CROSSING THE ROAD AHEAD SO THAT THEY SHOULD TAKE EXTRA CARE AND STOP AT THE CROSSING IF NECESSARY.
+ THE FLASHING AMBER LIGHTS ARE NOT REGULATORY, NOR SHOULD THEY BE CONFUSED WITH TRAFFIC SIGNAL LIGHTS. THEY ARE MERELY A DEVICE TO GIVE ADVANCE WARNING OF THE SCHOOL CROSSING PATROL,+ A SENIOR ENGINEER OF THE DEPARTMENT'S ROAD SAFETY AND STANDARDS DIVISION, MR ERIC WYATT, EXPLAINED.
HE SAID THAT THREE SITES HAVE BEEN CHOSEN FOR THE TRIAL. ON HONG KONG ISLAND, THE AMBER LIGHTS ARE INSTALLED AT THE CAUTIONARY CROSSING ON STUBBS ROAD IN FRONT OF LINGNAN COLLEGE.
IN KOWLOON, THE LIGHTS HAVE BEEN INSTALLED AT THE CAUTIONARY CROSSING ON FU NING STREET, IN FRONT OF THE CHRISTIAN ALLIANCE COLLEGE, IN KOWLOON CITY, IN THE NEW TERRITORIES, THEY ARE ON HIRAM'S HIGHWAY IN FRONT OF SAI KUNG CENTRAL PRIMARY SCHOOL.
+THESE LIGHTS HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFULLY USED IN OTHER COUNTRIES UNDER SIMILAR CONDITIONS, AND IT IS CONSIDERED APPROPRIATE THAT THEY SHOULD BE TRIED OUT IN HONG KONG TO MAINTAIN THE ALREADY EXCELLENT RECORD OF SCHOOL CROSSING PATROLS, + MR WYATT ADDED.
THE EXPERIMENT WILL BE REVIEWED IN A YEAR'S TIME AND THE DEPARTMENT WILL THEN DECIDE WHETHER THE FLASHING AMBER LIGHTS SHOULD BE INSTALLED WIDELY IN THE TERRITORY.
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