XN000022-1983-01-25 — Page 2

TUESDAY, JANUARY 25, 1983

TAC ENDORSES BIGGER PUBLICITY PLAN

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THE TRANSPORT ADVISORY COMMITTEE TODAY ENDORSED AN EXPANDED PROGRAMME OF PUBLICITY AND PUBLIC EDUCATION AIMED AT REDUCING THE NUMBER OF ROAD ACCIDENTS AND CASUALTIES.

A TOTAL OF 18 310 PEOPLE DIED OR WERE INJURED IN 13 892 ACCIDENTS DURING THE FIRST NINE MONTHS OF 1982.

THIS MEANS THAT ON AVERAGE EACH DAY, ABOUT 67 PEOPLE LOST THEIR LIVES OR WERE INJURED IN 50 ACCIDENTS AS A RESULT OF CARELESSNESS WHICH COULD WELL HAVE BEEN PREVENTED.

THESE FIGURES ARE OVER 6 PER CENT HIGHER THAN FOR THE SAME PERIOD IN THE PREVIOUS YEAR AND PROBABLY WOULD HAVE BEEN EVEN HIGHER IF IT HAD NOT BEEN FOR THE INTENSIVE ROAD SAFETY CAMPAIGN WHICH WAS CONDUCTED DURING 1982.

ROAD SAFETY HAS AGAIN THEREFORE BEEN CHOSEN BY THE GOVERNMENT AS THE SUBJECT OF A MAJOR PUBLICITY CAMPAIGN IN THE COMING FINANCIAL YEAR 1983/84.

THE ROAD SAFETY CAMPAIGN PROGRAMME AGREED BY TAC TODAY WAS DRAWN UP BY THE ROAD SAFETY COUNCIL WHICH COMPRISES REPRESENTATIVES OF THE GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS INVOLVED AND IS ATTENDED BY MOTORING AND ROAD SAFETY ORGANISATIONS.

THE YEAR-ROUND CAMPAIGN WILL CONTINUE TO DRAW ATTENTION TO THE VULNERABILITY OF PEDESTRIANS AND WILL STRESS THE PROPER WAY TO USE THE ROADS. IT WILL BE BASED ON RESEARCH AND ADVICE FROM PROFESSIONAL ROAD SAFETY ENGINEERS.

IT WILL BE CARRIED FORWARD ON THREE FRONTS: FIRST, MEDIA PUBLICITY, EMPLOYING TELEVISION, RADIO AND OTHER MEANS OF

ΤΟ SPREADING SAFETY MESSAGES: SECOND, COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT, BE FURTHER HELPED BY THE NEW DISTRICT BOARDS AND THIRD, EDUCATION, MAINLY DIRECTED AT THE MORE RECEPTIVE YOUNG AUDIENCE.

IN ADDITION, A SPECIAL CAMPAIGN WILL BE CONDUCTED TO PREPARE FOR THE INTRODUCTION OF COMPULSORY WEARING OF SEAT BELTS LATER THIS YEAR.

IN THEIR REGULAR MEETING TODAY, TAC MEMBERS ALSO STUDIED THE PROGRESS OF THE CONTRACT HIRE CAR SCHEME INTRODUCED IN 1981 TO LEGITIMISE PAK PAI HIRE CAR OPERATIONS.

THEY NOTED THAT PAK PAI ACTIVITY HAD REMAINED AT A LOW LEVEL ALTHOUGH IT STILL EXISTED IN THE REMOTER PARTS OF KOWLOON AND THE NEW TERRITORIES WHERE LAW ENFORCEMENT IS HAMPERED BY THE GREAT CAUTION OF OPERATORS WHO ACCEPT HIRE ONLY FROM KNOWN CUSTOMERS. THE POLICE HAVE BEEN KEEPING A CLOSE WATCH OVER LICENSED HIRE CARS OPERATING IN BREACH OF THE CONDITIONS OF PERMIT. A TOTAL OF 147 PROSECUTIONS WERE TAKEN OUT IN THE 5 MONTHS OF JULY - NOVEMBER LAST YEAR: A HIGH PROPORTION OF THESE WERE OPERATING IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.

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