TAC briefed on legislative proposals for enhancing road safety and implementing traffic e-enforcement
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The Transport Advisory Committee (TAC) was briefed today (July 26) on legislative amendment proposals for enhancing road safety and implementing traffic e-enforcement.
Having considered the overall situation of traffic accidents in recent years, and with reference to the practices of other places, the Government proposes four legislative amendments, namely (a) tightening the use of mobile communication devices by drivers while driving; (b) tightening the requirement for using child restraining devices on child passengers in private cars; (c) extending the existing statutory requirements for the mandatory fitting and wearing of seat belts on private cars, taxis and public light buses to other classes and seats of vehicles; and (d) mandating the wearing of helmets by cyclists, drivers and passengers of motor tricycles, and passengers on side cars of motor cycles. The Government aims at submitting the above legislative amendment proposals to the Legislative Council within 2023.
The TAC Chairman, Professor Stephen Cheung, said, "Members support strengthening the regulations regarding the use of mobile communication devices and child restraining devices as well as the wearing of seat belts and helmets through legislative amendments, which will better protect road users, covering drivers, passengers, children and cyclists, etc through a multi-pronged approach."
In addition, the Government has proposed the serving of fixed penalty notices for traffic offences by electronic means in the Hong Kong Smart City Blueprint. This aims to increase the overall efficiency of enforcement actions; and, in the long run, to foster a better driving attitude amongst drivers, which is conducive to reducing traffic accidents and illegal parking, thereby helping enhance road safety and alleviate traffic congestion. The Government plans to introduce the relevant amendment bill into the Legislative Council by the end of this year to allow the issuance of fixed penalty notices by electronic means.
Professor Cheung said, "Members support the use of technology to enhance the overall efficiency of traffic enforcement. Members also expressed views on the services to be provided on the traffic e-enforcement thematic portal and expect that it will bring more convenience to the public."
Ends/Tuesday, July 26, 2022
Issued at HKT 17:28
Issued at HKT 17:28
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