In my second year as Chairman of the Road Safety Council, although Hong Kong continued to enjoy a good record for road safety when compared with other major cities, a tragic fatal traffic accident occurred in Sai Kung on 2008-05-01 in which 19 people were killed. In order to reduce fatal traffic accidents, we will continue to work hard to enlist the support from all quarters to further improve road safety, and to maintain Hong Kong's status as one of the world's safest cities for all road users.

According to the latest statistics from the Hong Kong Police Force, a total of 19,625 people were killed or injured in 15,315 traffic accidents in 2007, an increase of 4% as compared with 2006. Altogether, there were 15,315 traffic accidents in 2007, representing a slight increase of 3.1% when compared with 2006. In view of the increase in the number of pedestrians killed in traffic accidents in 2007, two TV Announcements in the Public Interest were broadcast to remind the public not to start to cross the road when the green man light signal is flashing and to pay full attention as they cross the road. Elderly pedestrians remain the most vulnerable group in fatal traffic accidents and we continue to place emphasis on the need to improve their awareness.

In 2007 we continued to adopt 'Smart Driving with Courtesy' as our major theme. This campaign has helped to emphasize the importance of courtesy behind the wheel and the value of giving way to other road users.

Road safety education should begin from childhood and in 2007 we continued to promote the Road Safety Proficiency Badge Scheme for primary school students. Designed to be an interactive and fun way to learn about road safety, 90 classes have been held since February 2006, with over 2,100 primary school students participating. To ensure the exponential growth of this important scheme, we have also implemented a 'train-the-trainer' scheme, which has been generously supported by the Road Safety Association and teachers of primary schools.

Education can reduce accidents on the road, however legislation provides an important deterrent and a tool for the prosecution of offenders. In 2008, the Road Traffic Ordinance was amended raising the maximum imprisonment term for the offence of causing death by dangerous driving from five to ten years; raising penalties for drink driving offences by disqualifying offenders from driving for not less than three months on first conviction; and the imposition of a mandatory requirement for drivers who commit serious traffic offenders to attend a driving improvement course. At the beginning of 2009 the Police will be given the power to conduct random breath testing, this measure should be a strong deterrent to those who may consider to drink and drive.

To further deter the offence of disobeying traffic signals, the Police, in collaboration with the Transport and Housing Bureau and the Transport Department, successfully obtained funding approval from the Finance Committee of the Legislative Council to proceed with the Red Light Camera (RLC) Expansion III Project in 2007. There are now 96 RLCs in 131 fixed enforcement sites across Hong Kong. After the expansion, the total number of cameras and sites will be increased to 155. I am confident that this simple yet effective technology will further enhance road safety in the year ahead.

The rewards of our efforts in 2007 are manifold, but there remains much work to be done. In engaging the community, the Road Safety Council will continue its life-saving work of educating the public and publicising the importance of road safety. In this Olympic year, let us share the Olympic spirit by providing a safe road environment in Hong Kong for residents and visitors from around the world, so as to realize Hong Kong's Road Safety Vision: ' Zero Accidents on the Road, Hong Kong's Goal'.

YAM Tat-wing
Chairman, Road Safety Council