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Traffic accidents at two locations in Causeway Bay
Following is a question by the Hon Howard Young and a reply by the acting Secretary for Transport, Mr Paul Leung, in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday).
Question:
Will the Government inform this Council whether there has been any marked increase in traffic accidents at the road junctions and pedestrian crossing at the Sogo Department Store and Times Square in Causeway Bay since the operation of Luminescent Electronic Display (LED) advertising signs at such locations?
Reply:
Mr President,
From the installation of the advertisement sign at Sogo Department Store in late 1993 up to the end of 1996, there were 16 traffic accidents in the section of Hennessy Road between Percival Street and Great George Street. There were six accidents in 1994, two in 1995 and eight in 1996. Eight of the accidents involved sudden stopping or starting of bus or tram and passengers losing balance; four involved careless changing of lane by vehicles; two were related to disobeying traffic light; one to jaywalking and one to a passenger being trapped by the door of a bus.
Regarding the sign at Times Square on Russell Street, there were 23 accidents in that location during the period from the installation in late 1993 to 1996. There were eight cases in 1994, eleven in 1995 and four in 1996. Nine of the accidents involved jaywalking; four cases involved vehicles turning negligently; three were related to careless driving; two to vehicles starting negligently; one to driving too fast; one to careless lane cutting; one involved a person being hurt by the door of a vehicle and two involved unknown causes.
At both locations, an analysis of the causes of traffic accidents does not reflect any correlation between the installation of the advertisement signs and traffic accidents in the areas.
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