XN000022-1988-06-20 — Page 8

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MONDAY, JUNE 20, 1988

A NEW AREA TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEM COVERING THE WHOLE OF THE NORTH SHORE OF HONG KONG ISLAND WAS NEARING COMPLETION AND WHEN IT TOOK OVER THE EXISTING INITIAL SYSTEM LATER THIS YEAR, IT WOULD CERTAINLY HELP IMPROVE TRAFFIC FLOW IN THE CONGESTED PARTS OF CAUSEWAY BAY, WAN CHAI, CENTRAL AND WESTERN, MR SO SAID.

AS OUR ROADS BECAME MORE CONGESTED, ACCIDENTS INCREASED, HE SAID. SINCE 1987, TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS HAD INCREASED BY 8.8 PER CENT AND MOST ACCIDENTS INVOLVED VEHICLE COLLISIONS.

MR SO OUTLINED THE WIDE RANGE OF MEASURES NOW IN HAND TO TACKLE THE PROBLEM.

IN 1987, THE ROAD SAFETY AND STANDARDS DIVISION OF THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT INVESTIGATED A TOTAL OF 152 TRAFFIC BLACKSPOTS AND RECOMMENDED REMEDIAL AND ENGINEERING MEASURES AT 107 LOCATIONS.

THESE MEASURES RANGED FROM STRAIGHTENING BENDS TO PAVING THE ROAD SURFACE WITH ANTI-SKID MATERIALS AND WERE GENERALLY EFFECTIVE IN CUTTING DOWN ACCIDENTS.

THE OTHER MEASURES WHICH WERE IN THE PIPELINE OR UNDER CONSIDERATION TO IMPROVE ROAD SAFETY INCLUDED STRICTER CONTROL OVER LIGHT GOODS VEHICLES AND PROPOSALS TO EXTEND THE SEAT BELT LAW TO COVER THE FRONT SEAT OCCUPANTS OF TAXIS AND LIGHT BUSES.

IN ADDITION, A NEW PIECE OF LEGISLATION WAS BEING DRAFTED AT PRESENT WITH THE AIM OF MAKING IT SAFER TO USE THE EXPRESSWAYS IN HỒNG KONG,

CONSIDERATION WAS NOW BEING GIVEN TO AMEND THE DRIVING OFFENCE POINTS SYSTEM TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR DRIVERS WITH LESS THAN TWO YEARS DRIVING EXPERIENCE TO BE DISQUALIFIED AND TO INTRODUCE A DISTINCTIVE LICENCE FOR NEW DRIVERS.

ΤΟ IMPROVE ROAD SAFETY, A WHOLE SERIES OF LEGISLATIVE AMENDMENTS WERE IN THE PIPELINE, MR SO SAID.

THESE INCLUDED REQUIRING LEARNER DRIVERS OF MOTORCYCLES TO COMPLETE A COMPULSORY OFF-STREET TRAINING COURSE AND PASS A TEST BEFORE GETTING A LEARNER LICENCE.

THE FITTING OF

LEGISLATION WOULD ALSO BE AMENDED TO REQUIRE GUARDRAILS TO LIGHT BUS WINDOWS AND TO APPLY PROVISIONS TRAFFIC ORDINANCE TO PRIVATE ROADS, MR 30 ADDED.

OF THE ROAD

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