XN000022-1986-11-23 — Page 6

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 1986

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COURTESY CAN HELP PREVENT ROAD ACCIDENTS

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MOST ROAD ACCIDENTS COULD BE AVOIDED IF PEOPLE WERE MORE CAREFUL AND POLITE THE EASTERN DISTRICT OFFICER, MR BOWEN LEUNG,

SAID TODAY (SUNDAY).

HE SAID DRIVERS AND PEDESTRIANS SHOULD UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANT ROLE EACH HAD TO PLAY IN ROAD SAFETY.

SPEAKING AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE EASTERN DISTRICT ROAD SAFETY DAY IN VICTORIA PARK, MR LEUNG SAID THE NUMBER OF TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS CAUSED BY NEGLIGENCE ON THE PART OF PEDESTRIANS IN THE FIRST NINE MONTHS OF THIS YEAR TOTALLED 2 727.

THIS WAS AN INCREASE OF 238 OVER THE FIGURE FOR THE CORRESPONDING PERIOD LAST YEAR,

MANY ACCIDENTS COULD BE AVOIDED IF PEDESTRIANS OBSERVED TRAFFIC RULES, HE SAID.

MR LEUNG SAID TRAFFIC CONDITIONS IN EASTERN HAD IMPROVED GREATLY SINCE THE OPENING OF THE ISLAND EASTERN CORRIDOR AND THE MTR ISLAND LINE. THESE EFFECTIVELY SEPARATED THE MOVEMENT OF VEHICLES AND PEDESTRIANS.

IN ADDITION, A NUMBER OF PEDESTRIAN FOOTBRIDGES HAD BEEN BUILT AT BUSY LOCATIONS TO FACILITATE TRAFFIC MOVEMENT.

MR LEUNG URGED RESIDENTS TO USE THESE FOOTBRIDGES AS THEY ENABLED THEM TO CROSS ROADS IN SAFETY.

OTHER OFFICIATING GUESTS AT THE OPENING CEREMONY INCLUDED THE POLICE DEPUTY DIRECTOR (TRAFFIC), MR JOHN CLEMENCE; POLICE DISTRICT COMMANDER, MR G.W. ROPER: CHAIRMAN OF THE DISTRICT BOARD, MR SHUM CHOI-SANG POLICE SENIOR STAFF OFFICER (TRAFFIC), MR LAM KIN PRESIDENT OF THE ROAD SAFETY ASSOCIATION: MR SHE KWONG-WAH; CHAIRMAN OF THE TRAFFIC AND TRANSPORT COMMITTEE, MR YUE HUI-KWONG AND CHAIRMAN OF THE DISTRICT'S ROAD SAFETY WORKING GROUP, MR CHENG WUI-YAU.

THE ROAD SAFETY DAY IS AMONG THE MAIN ACTIVITIES IN A MONTH- LONG CAMPAIGN ORGANISED BY THE EASTERN DISTRICT BOARD, THE DISTRICT OFFICE AND THE ROYAL HONG KONG POLICE, WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF THE ROAD SAFETY ASSOCIATION.

A MINIATURE ROAD SAFETY TOWN HAS BEEN LAID OUT FOR THE ROAD SAFETY DAY, AND A ROAD SAFETY BUS IS ON DISPLAY. THE PROGRAMME INCLUDES A VARIETY SHOW, ACROBATIC PERFORMANCE, EXHIBITIONS, GAMES STALLS, AND A COLOURING CONTEST.

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