XN000022-1985-12-02 — Page 5

MONDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1985

A STUDY CARRIED-OUT BY THE ROAD SAFETY AND STANDARDS DIVISION OF THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT SHOWS THAT IN THE 12 MONTHS AFTER OCTOBER 1, 1983, THE TOTAL NUMBER OF PRIVATE CAR FRONT SEAT CASUALTIES FELL BY 28 PER CENT FROM 3 814 TO 2 765. MOST IMPORTANTL THE NUMBER OF FATAL AND SERIOUS CASUALTIES FELL BY 51 PER CENT FROM 1 385 TO 681.

THE DECLINE IN THE NUMBER OF CASUALTIES WAS FAR GREATER THAN COULD HAVE BEEN EXPECTED FROM THE FALL IN THE NUMBER OF LICENSED CARS, AND THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE THAT THE REDUCTION IN THE NUMBER OF FRONT SEAT PASSENGER CASUALTIES WAS DUE TO PASSENGERS MOVING TO THE REAR SEAT.

A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THE STUDY BY THE ROAD SAFETY AND STANDARDS DIVISION HAD DEMONSTRATED THAT COMPULSORY SEAT BELT WEARING HAD LIVED UP TO EXPECTATIONS AS A SIMPLE, EFFECTIVE AND PUBLICLY ACCEPTABLE MEANS OF REDUCING THE TOLL OF DEATHS AND INJURIES ON THE ROAD.

A FURTHER IMPROVEMENT IN ROAD SAFETY COULD BE ACHIEVED BY EXTENDING COMPULSORY WEARING TO THE FRONT SEATS OF TAXIS AND LIGHT BUSES AND BY MAKING A START ON EXTENDING THE SEAT BELT LEGISLATION TO GOODS VEHICLES.

THE SPOKESMAN EXPLAINED THAT EXISTING LEGISLATION REQUIRES EVERY TAXI REGISTERED AFTER 1980 TO BE FITTED WITH A SEAT BELT FOR THE DRIVER'S SEAT AND THE NEAR-SIDE FRONT PASSENGERS SEAT BY JANUARY 1, 1986. LIGHT BUSES MANUFACTURED AFTER 1983 MUST ALSO BE FITTED WITH TWO FRONT SEAT BELTS.

THE FITTING OF SEAT BELTS IS NOT REQUIRED IN GOODS VEHICLES BUT IT IS NOW INTENDED TO EXTEND THIS REQUIREMENT TO NEWLY REGISTERED GOODS VEHICLES. IT WOULD NOT BE PRACTICABLE TO REQUIRE THE FITTING OF SEAT BELTS IN EXISTING GOODS VEHICLES BECAUSE THE MAJORITY OF THEM LACK SUITABLE ANCHORAGE POINTS.

LEGISLATION WILL NOW BE DRAFTED TO AMEND THE ROAD TRAFFIC (SAFETY EQUIPMENT) REGULATIONS IN ORDER TO INTRODUCE THE COMPULSORY WEARING OF FRONT SEAT BELTS IN TAXIS AND LIGHT BUSES AND THE COMPULSORY FITTING OF FRONT SEAT BETS IN NEWLY REGISTERED GOODS VEHICLES. IT IS THE AIM TO IMPLEMENT THESE MEASURES BY THE END OF 1986.

EEC MINISTERS TO RECONSIDER GSP PROPOSALS

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A PROPOSAL TO EXCLUDE 12 HONG KONG PRODUCTS FROM THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY'S GENERALISED SYSTEM OF PREFERENCES MAY BE DROPPED, THE TRADE DEPARTMENT SAID TODAY.

THE PRODUCTS WILL. IT IS NOW SUGGESTED. REMAIN ON THE GSP LIST WITH A QUOTA LEVEL IN 1986 EQUIVALENT TO 50 PER CENT OF THAT FOR 1985.

THE DEPUTY