Hong Kong Police have launched a two-week campaign to clamp down on speeding and distracted driving after a rise in fatal traffic accidents in the first five months of this year.
Police said on Friday that two law enforcement operations, codenamed Clearview and Autobinder, will run until June 19, targeting reckless driving and reckless driving.
“As of May 31 this year, the number of deaths from traffic accidents in Hong Kong reached 51, up 42 percent from the same period last year,” police said at a Chinese-language media briefing. “Pedestrian deaths accounted for half the total.”
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Police said an analysis showed that the main causes of the high number of deaths were jaywalking and careless driving, with commercial vehicles identified as the most frequent type of vehicle involved in fatal incidents.
During the operations, the police force will strengthen patrols using unmarked police vehicles, enforcing strict measures against speeding, tailgating, using mobile phones while driving and other forms of reckless driving.
Police urged professional drivers to stay focused behind the wheel and obey traffic rules, and urged pedestrians to avoid walking on the road, weaving into traffic or ignoring traffic signals.
Pedestrians should use designated pedestrian crossings, subways and footbridges, police added.
The maximum penalty for careless driving in Hong Kong is a HK$5,000 fine and six months in prison. Jaywalking carries a fine of up to HK$2,000.
