XN000022-1983-06-10 — Page 3

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FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 1983

PUBLICITY WHICH HAS ALREADY STARTED WOULD NOW INCLUDE REMINDERS OF THE REQUIREMENTS. DRIVERS AND PASSENGERS WHO DO NOT WEAR THEIR BELTS FACE MAXIMUM FINES OF $500 AND IMPRISONMENT FOR THREE MONTHS ON FIRST CONVICTION. ON A SECOND OR SUSEQUENT CONVICTION THE MAXIMUM PENALTY WOULD BE $1 000 AND SIX MONTHS' IMPRISONMENT.

THE SPOKESMAN STRESSED THAT THE SAFETY VALUE OF WEARING SEAT BELTS HAD BEEN DEMONSTRATED WORLD-WIDE FOR PEOPLE OF ALL AGES AND FOR ALL TRAFFIC CONDITIONS, INCLUDING CITY AREAS WITH LOW-AVERAGE DRIVING SPEEDS. EXEMPTIONS FROM SEAT BELT WEARING WOULD THEREFORE BE AT THE DISCRETION OF THE COMMISSIONER FOR TRANSPORT AND LIMITED TO THE FEW GROUPS OR INDIVIDUALS WHERE SEAT BELT WEARING IS DEMONSTRABLY UNDESIRABLE OR WHERE THERE WOULD BE REAL DIFFICULTIES IN COMPLYING WITH THE REQUIREMENTS.

HOWEVER THERE IS A GENERAL EXEMPTION FOR DRIVERS PERFORMING

A MANOEUVRE WHICH INCLUDES REVERSING.

ALSO PUBLISHED IN THE GAZETTE TODAY ARE THE ROAD TRAFFIC (CONSTRUCTION AND USE) (AMENDMENT) REGULATIONS 1983 WHICH INTRODUCE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE FITTING OF BELTS IN TAXIS AND LIGHT BUSES AND PREPARE THE WAY FOR THE COMPULSORY WEARING OF SEAT BELTS IN THESE VEHICLES AT A LATER STAGE.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT ALTHOUGH THE ULTIMATE INTENTION WAS TO REQUIRE WEARING OF SEAT BELTS IN THESE TWO CATEGORIES OF VEHICLE AS WELL, THIS WILL NOT BE DONE UNTIL AT LEAST THE MAJORITY OF THEM ARE EQUIPPED WITH BELTS.

THE REGULATIONS REQUIRE THE FITTING OF SEAT BELTS IN THE FRONT SEATS OF TAXIS AND LIGHT BUSES FIRST REGISTERED ON OR AFTER JANUARY 1 NEXT YEAR. ADDITIONALLY, TAXIS REGISTERED ON OR AFTER JANUARY 1, 1981 WILL BE REQUIRED TO BE FITTED WITH TWO FRONT SEAT BELTS BY JANUARY 1, 1986.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT THERE SHOULD NOT BE ANY TECHNICAL PROBLEM IN MEETING THESE REQUIREMENTS SINCE POST-1980 MODEL TAXIS WOULD GENERALLY HAVE SEAT BELT ANCHORAGE POINTS OR SUITABLE PLACES FOR INSTALLING ANCHORAGE, AND AN ADEQUATE PERIOD HAD BEEN ALLOWED FOR THE FITTING JOB TO BE DONE.

+IN THE CASE OF LIGHT BUSES, THE SIX MONTHS' NOTICE SHOULD BE ADEQUATE FOR MANUFACTURERS TO HAVE THE SEAT BELTS FITTED AT THE FACTORY BEFORE THE VEHICLES ARE DELIVERED FOR REGISTRATION IN HONG KONG, HE SAID.

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