Hong Kong police have launched a crackdown on traffic offenders and fined hundreds of jaywalkers after 71 people were killed in accidents in the first eight months of this year, 34 per cent higher than the same period last year.
Of the total fatalities, 62 per cent were pedestrians, and 27 of the 62 were aged 65 or above. The remainder were drivers, passengers and cyclists, police told a Thursday press conference.
Between August 13 and September 2, police waged a major crackdown on violators which led to 1,785 pedestrians being fined – mostly for ignoring traffic signals when crossing roads or for not using pedestrian crossings, footbridges or subways.
Police also fined the operators of 2,411 vehicles for speeding, failing to comply with road markings, using phones when driving, or other offences. Most were professional drivers such as taxi and goods vehicle operators.
For convenience
Chan Sin-hang, a chief inspector in New Territories North, said pedestrians who flouted regulations were sometimes in a hurry but underestimated the speed and distance between vehicles.
“We discovered that three quarters of offenders dashed or ran out in the road when the red light was still on. In some cases, even if there was a footbridge close by, some people did not use it, to take a fewer steps for the sake of convenience,” she said in Cantonese.
Chan said some jaywalkers even crossed several lanes of traffic and the central dividing strip.
Police urged people to follow regulations when crossing roads, stressing it was not a matter of avoiding fines but an issue of keeping themselves safe.
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