XN000022-1983-06-08 — Page 4

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 6, 1983

+DRIVING-OFFENCE POINTS+ BILL BACKED

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FOUR MEMBERS OF THE AD HOC GROUP OF UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS CONSIDERING THE ROAD TRAFFIC (DRIVING-OFFENCE POINTS) BILL 1983 TODAY (WEDNESDAY) SPOKE IN SUPPORT OF THE MOTION DURING THE RESUMED DEBATE ON THE BILL.

THEY WERE THE HON, WONG LAM, THE HON K.C. CHAN, THE HON MARIA TAM AND DR THE HON HENRIETTA IP.

ANOTHER MEMBER OF THE AD HOC GROUP THE HON MRS SELINA CHOW TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL MEETING THAT MUCH AS SHE AGREED WITH AND SUPPORTED THE SPIRIT OF THIS BILL, SHE HAD TO ABSTAIN.

MR WONG HEARTILY SUPPORTED THE BASIC SPIRIT OF THE BILL +TO IMPROVE THE DRIVING HABITS OF DRIVERS WHO DISREGARD THE SAFETY OF OTHERS.

MR CHAN SAID HE ONLY SUPPORTED THIS BILL IN PRINCIPLE IN THE BELIEF THAT IT MAY HELP TO CUT DOWN THE CASUALTY LIST FROM TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS.+

MRS CHOW SAID THAT WHETHER ONE IS A DRIVER OR A PEDESTRIAN, ONE CANNOT BUT AGREE WHOLE-HEARTEDLY THAT UNSAFE DRIVING BEHAVIOUR SHOULD BE DISCOURAGED AND PERSISTENT OFFENDERS OF SUCH BEHAVIOUR SHOULD BE TAKEN OFF THE ROAD FOR THE SAKE OF SAFETY FOR ALL.+

DR IP SAID: THE BILL FINALLY ALLOWS GOVERNMENT AN ON-GOING ASSESSMENT OF DRIVERS OF THEIR CONTINUING RESPONSIBILITY FOR PUBLIC SAFETY.

+AS PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE, LET US HOPE THAT THIS BILL SERVES TO DETER EACH AND EVERY DRIVER ON THE ROAD FROM UNSAFE DRIVING, RATHER THAN TO SERVE AS A WARNING ONLY TO THOSE WHO SO QUICKLY SCORE POINTS. OUR PUBLIC WILL THEN BE SAFER ON THE ROADS.+

DR IP POINTED OUT THAT IN 1981 THERE WERE 27 249 ROAI TRAFFIC ACCIDENT VICTIMS OF WHICK 7 965 WERE MOSPITALISED AND 514 DIED. +IT IS OBVIOUS THAT MANY DRIVERS HAVE FORGOTTEN THE IR RESPONSIBILITY FOR PUBLIC SAFETY.+

THREE MEMBERS, MR WONG, MRS CHOW AND OR IP QUERIED THE INCLUSION OF ITEMS 7 TO 11 AND 16 WHICH HAD NO DIRECT BEARING ON ROAD SAFETY.+

MR WONG DESCRIBED SUCH OFFENCE POINTS AS A KIND OF DOUBLE PENALTY.+ +THE GOVERNMENT, EY INVOKING THE ROAD TRAFFIC ORDINANCE, IS ALREADY ABLE TO PUNISH THE OFFENDER WITH FINES OR IMPRISONMENT. OFFENCE POINTS WILL ONLY INCREASE THE PENALTY, AND PROVIDE A GREATER DETERRENT EFFECT,+ SAID MR WONG.

+ I THINK THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD DELETE ALL SUCH ITEMS FROM THE SCHEDULE OF THE BILL,

SAID MR WONG.

320 CHOW