Every year brings exciting new opportunities to promote road safety in Hong Kong. In 2007, the Council aims to implement the following publicity and education programmes:
"Drive Smart with Courtesy" Campaign
Smart driving with courtesy will continue to provide the core theme for the Road Safety Council’s publicity campaigns. In the year ahead, drivers will be reminded of the need for courtesy through a comprehensive publicity package that includes a TV and a radio API, as well as promotional events on radio and tunnel billboards.
Other publicity initiatives during the year will include the promotion of a road safety theme song, reinforced publicity on the wearing of seat belts on public light buses and cycling safety.
Annual Campaign Launching Ceremony
Our new Road Safety Campaign was launched on a special TV programme in December 2006, led by the RSCC Chairman and with the full support of the RSCC Secretary and other members. Broadcast as an entertaining and thought-provoking quiz, the TV programme not only proved to be an excellent way of communicating vital messages about road safety for drivers, passengers and pedestrians, but also attracted a large audience.
In 2007, the RSCC will again form a working committee to organise an appropriate launch event that builds on this success and further enhances public interest in road safety.
Our vision of ‘Zero Accidents on the Road, Hong Kong’s Goal’ has already proved a simple and effective way of arousing public awareness of road safety and encouraging safer road practices. To further promote that vision and stimulate the public to support the Council’s long-term goal, we have included the vision and symbol in nearly all publicity activities, messages, souvenirs and other communications.
In 2007, we shall not only continue to promote the vision and mascot, we shall also promote a new Road Safety Theme Song. Presented in a pop-song style, this catchy new song will be broadcast on the Council’s website and during other publicity activities.
RSC Annual Report and Road Safety Bulletin
The Council’s Annual Report is now available on CD-ROM. This practice will be continued in 2007, ensuring that the Council’s activities and messages can be disseminated to the widest possible audience.
In the past , the Transport Department has been issuing the Road Safety Bulletins half-yearly to help spread road safety messages. In 2007, the Department will increase the frequency of the publications to every four months to further enhance its public education. The distribution list will also be reviewed regularly to ensure that the Bulletins are reaching their target audience.
Our website plays a valuable role in helping to publicise road safety messages. In 2007, the Council’s Secretariat will continue to coordinate updates from Government Departments and other organisations. It will also oversee the website’s operation, so that our road safety messages continue to be shared with the public in an appropriate manner.
Local Publicity and Educational Activities
Hong Kong’s District Offices have now established a good track record of working with the Police to organise various publicity and educational activities. To date, these have included road safety quizzes, carnivals and seminars. In 2007, yet more road safety activities will be held at the district level. To support these initiatives, the Police will continue to cooperate with District Councils, the Hong Kong Road Safety Association and other local organisations.
To enlist the support from District Councils on promoting road safety, RSC members attend meetings of Traffic and Transport Committees or related working groups. Each visit offers an excellent occasion for district officials to learn more about the Council’s work and explore opportunities to publicise road safety messages to local residents.
In 2007, these courtesy visits will continue. District Councils and local committees will also be encouraged to include the Road Safety Council in any road safety events or programmes held at the district level.
Professional Drivers
Professional drivers are an important target group for the Council’s road safety messages. In 2007, the Transport Department will continue its education programme for drivers in the public transport trades, targeting them with conferences, ad hoc seminars and publicity materials. These efforts will be complemented by the Police’s own comprehensive programme of publicity and education for professional drivers, which includes seminars, educational pamphlets and on-site education in key locations such as traffic blacksites, public car parks and border control points.
Since 2005, the RSCC has collaborated with the Road Safety Association to organise a Road Safety Proficiency Badge Scheme for Youths. Designed to stimulate and sustain the interest of students and youth groups in road safety, the Scheme awards proficiency badges in recognition of participants’ road safety knowledge. Since February 2006, a total of 82 classes have been organised with the participation of over 1,800 primary students. A Working Group chaired by the RSCC chairman will oversee the expansion of this scheme in 2007.
Education for Students
To support road safety education in schools, the Education Bureau will continue to provide relevant information through its website. Other relevant materials for teachers, such as teaching plans and other resources on road safety, will also be uploaded to the Moral and Civic Education Resources Net on the Bureau’s homepage (http://mce.edb.hkedcity.net). Moreover, the Bureau will co-operate with other Government Departments and Non-Government Organisations in the production of learning and teaching materials that promote students’ interest in road safety.
Curriculum development is another key way in which the Bureau continues to promote road safety education. The current curriculum framework includes road safety education in General Studies and other relevant subjects under the Personal, Social and Humanities Education Key Learning Area. This will soon be further strengthened with an elective subject entitled Health Management and Social Care, which will be added to the New Senior Secondary Curriculum from 2009 onwards.
Children and the Elderly
On many occasions, traffic accidents involve children and the elderly. To help inform, educate and protect these vulnerable groups, the service units of the Social Welfare Department (SWD) and other Non-Government Organisations have included road safety messages in their publicity programmes and activities. The SWD has also helped in distributing our Road Safety Bulletin and other printed materials to the elderly and children. The response to these efforts has been encouraging. In 2007, the Council will continue its work with the SWD.
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