XN000022-1975-08-08 — Page 9

FRIDAY, AUGUST 8, 1975

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PLB ASSOCIATIONS URGED TO PROMOTE ROAD SAFETY

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THE ACTING ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER FOR TRANSPORT, MR. PETER MILLER, TODAY URGED PUBLIC LIGHT BUS ASSOCIATIONS TO EDUCATE THEIR DRIVERS ON THE IMPORTANCE OF OBSERVING ROAD RULES SO AS TO HELP CUT DOWN ACCIDENT RATES.

MR. MILLER MADE THE APPEAL AT A REGIONAL MEETING WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF KOWLOON-BASED PLB OPERATORS IN WHICH, SITTING AS CHAIRMAN, HE REFUTED A CLAIM THAT THERE WERE NOT ENOUGH LICENSED PLB DRIVERS AND THAT THIS WAS ONE REASON FOR THE RELATIVELY HIGHER PLB ACCIDENT RATE.

+THERE IS NO QUESTION OF PLB DRIVER SHORTAGE. AT THE END OF LAST MONTH, THERE WERE ALMOST 50,000 PEOPLE LICENSED TO DRIVE PLBS WHILE REGISTERED PLBS TOTALLED BARELY OVER 4,300.

+IN ANY CASE, I AM YET TO BE CONVINCED THAT THE NUMBER OF LICENSED PLB DRIVERS HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH ROAD SAFETY AND GOOD ROAD BEHAVIOUR,+ HE SAID.

AT THE MEETING, MR. MILLER AGAIN CITED THE APRIL-JUNE STATISTICS RECENTLY RELEASED BY TRAFFIC POLICE INDICATING THAT AN AVERAGE OF ONE OUT OF EVERY 12 PLBS HAD BEEN INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT.

THE CAUSES FOR THESE ACCIDENTS VARY, HE SAID, BUT PLB DRIVERS' BAD ROAD DISCIPLINES DO HAVE A PART TO PLAY - DRIVING TOO FAST WITH LITTLE REGARD TO OTHER MOTORISTS, ABRUPT CHANGING OF LANES OR SUDDEN STOPPING TO PICK UP OR SET DOWN PASSENGERS.

HOWEVER,

HE SAID HE WOULD NOT LIKE TO BLAME ALL PLB DRIVERS AS PERHAPS ONLY A PORTION OF THEM COULD HAVE BEHAVED BADLY ON THE ROADS THUS PUTTING THE WHOLE TRADE INTO DISREPUTE.

MR. MILLER SAID THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT WAS STILL IN THE PROCESS OF CLEARING THE EXISTING BACKLOG OF PLB DRIVING TEST APPOINTMENTS WHICH WAS EXPECTED TO BE FINISHED SHORTLY,

AFTER THAT, HE SAID, THE DEPARTMENT MIGHT RECONSIDER INVITING FRESH APPLICATIONS FOR PLB DRIVING TESTS.

HOWEVER, HE POINTED OUT THAT IF IN CASE THE DEPARTMENT DECIDED TO DO SO, FRESH APPLICATIONS WOULD ONLY BE RECEIVED THROUGH POST AND NOT IN PERSON AT THE LICENSING OFFICES.

MR. MILLER ALSO NOTED THAT THE WINDSCREEN OF MANY PLBS WAS USUALLY CLUTTERED WITH DESTINATION INDICATORS AND FARE CARDS WHICH OBSTRUCTED THE VIEW OF THE DRIVERS AND WHICH MIGHT HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO A GREATER POSSIBILITY OF TRAFFIC ACCIDENT OCCURANCE.

/HE SAID

J