Publicity

The achievement of our road safety vision needs concerted effort from various sectors, especially in publicity. In 2012, the Council strengthened its existing publicity tools and created new platforms to highlight the most pressing road safety concerns to sustain the momentum of road safety awareness in the community.

Drink Driving

The campaign against drink driving continues. Over 600 stickers to promote the anti-drink driving message were placed on parking meters throughout Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and New Territories. Existing anti-drink driving banners placed on flyovers were relocated to better deliver this message to drivers and other road users. Leaflets and souvenirs with the slogan ‘If you drink, don’t drive!’ were distributed, particularly in major entertainment areas during the festive periods, especially Christmas, the Lunar New Year and long holidays. The council has been working on enhancing public awareness of road safety through publicity and education. To remind people not to drive after drinking, the Council continues adopting the slogan ‘If you drink, don’t drive’ to disseminate the message to all sectors of society.

In order to combat drink driving, roadside banners and leaflets were produced to remind members of the public that penalties rise in scale with the severity of the offence – the higher the proportion of alcohol in excess of the prescribed limit, the longer the term of imprisonment and the driving disqualification period. The Council also deployed bus-body and internet advertisements to promote the legislation and reinforce the anti-drink driving message, and launched publicity events with Hong Kong Police Force’s Traffic Branch Headquarters in entertainment areas throughout the territory.

The number of drivers arrested in traffic accidents involving drink driving slightly increased by 8% from 210 in 2011 to 227 in 2012. We will continue to launch anti-drink driving publicity campaigns and the Police will increase the use of random breath tests.

Drug Driving

In recent years, the Council has faced a new challenge – an increase in drug driving offences. In order to impose stricter deterrent over drug driving and provide the Police with powers necessary to combat drug driving effectively, the Road Traffic (Amendment) Ordinance 2011 was enacted on 15 March 2012. To publicise the new legislative amendment on drug driving and to alert drivers to the possible effects of drugs on driving, the Council formulated a publicity and education plan to highlight the dangers of drug driving. This included the broadcasting of two announcements in the public interest in radio and television, along with a range of publicity materials, including a leaflet ‘Drug Driving – Never Risk it’.

Additionally, anti-drug driving banners were erected on flyovers and footbridges above strategic roads with high traffic volumes, telling drivers ‘Drug Driving – May Be Your Journey To Death’, and advertisements were displayed on bus bodies, bus shelters and parking meters.

Elderly Pedestrian Safety

Publicity activities throughout the year continued to address the safety of elderly pedestrians. The Council worked closely with District Councils to conduct education and publicity campaigns in areas with relatively more traffic accidents involving elderly pedestrians. Much of this work focused on pedestrian education and, with the assistance of Elderly Road Safety Ambassadors, the elderly were reminded to use proper road crossing facilities, such as traffic light controlled crossings, zebra crossings, pedestrian flyovers and pedestrian subways.

In order to bring the issue of elderly pedestrian safety to the attention of the general public, the Council organised a number of ‘Elderly Pedestrian Safety Bus Parade’ in Tsuen Wan, Kwai Tsing, Tuen Mun and Yuen Long Districts in 2012. Members of the public were encouraged to remind their friends and family members to ‘Love yourself, Love your family, Be a smart pedestrian’.

Road Safety Council jointly with Road Safety Team of New Territories South held the “Elderly Pedestrian Road Safety Campaign Kick-off Ceremony cum Bus Parade in Tsuen Wan and Kwai Tsing District” on March 1. The event attracted 200 elderly who helped hammer road safety message home

The officiating guests and the elderly road safety ambassadors boarded the bus to conduct a bus parade in Yuen Long.  The bus parade was aimed at promoting road safety message among the elderly and other road users.

“Elderly Road Safety Campaign Kick-off Ceremony cum Bus Parade in Yuen Long” was jointly organised by Road Safety Council, Hong Kong Police Force, Hong Kong Road Safety Patrol and Yuen Long District Council on 2 May at Yuen Long Theatre to promote “Be careful when cycling and be attentive when crossing the road”

Safe Cycling

The safety of recreational and functional cyclists continues to be a concern. Pamphlets conveying relevant traffic regulations, responsibilities of cyclists on roads and best practices when using cycling tracks have been widely distributed to cyclists, pedestrians and persons who employ cyclists for rural and urban delivery.

According to the traffic accident statistics, the number of traffic accidents involving bicycles increased from 1,914 in 2010 to 2,348 in 2011, a rise that might be attributable to the overall increase in cycling activities.

In July, the Council and Shatin District Council jointly held the ‘2012 Summer Safe Cycling Ceremony’ at Shatin Central Park. The campaign promoted safe cycling and the importance of wearing a helmet and other protective equipment. After the ceremony, members gave out leaflets to spread cycling safety messages to the public.

In September, the Council and the 18 District Councils jointly held the “Safe Cycling Kick-off Ceremony” at Po Kong Village Road Park. The campaign also promoted safe cycling messages to the public. After the ceremony, members joined with the Road Safety Patrol and Regional Road Safety Teams to take the safe cycling message to the 18 Districts.

To promote cycling safety, the Transport Department launched an internet-based Cycling Information Centre (CIC) to provide the public with convenient access to information on cycling, including safety aspects. The CIC provides up-to-date information and reference materials such as riding rules, safety tips and laws relevant to cyclists and other road users to help create a safe cycling environment. In addition, two new leaflets, ‘Be A Smart Cyclist, Wear Bicycle Helmet Always’ and ‘Riding in Traffic Safety Comes First’ have been distributed to all local schools and higher education institutions as well as to the community through the usual channels.

The Transport Department also produced and broadcast at public venues and sports institutes the educational video “Safe Cycling: Rules and Tips” for viewing by the general public including motorists, pedestrians and students, to further promote safe and proper road user behaviour concerning cycling safety. The video is also available on YouTube and at TD and RSC websites. DVDs of the video have been distributed to all local schools and higher education institutions.

Road Safety Council and the Traffic Branch Headquarters, in partnership with the 18 District Councils, opened a safe cycling campaign in Po Kong Village Road Park, Diamond Hill, on September 15, to spread the cycling safety message.

The Road Safety Council jointly organised with Sha Tin District Council, Hong Kong Road Safety Patrol and Hong Kong Police Force held the “Wise Ride” Safe Cycling Promotion Campaign on 15th July 2012 at the Amphitheatre of Sha Tin Central Park. It enhanced to spread the cycling safety message.

Safe Driving and Health Campaign

To echo the vision of the Council in road safety promotion, the Transport Department launched the ‘Safe Driving and Health Campaign’ to enhance safe driving behaviour and health awareness among drivers of commercial vehicles in 2012. A wide range of services and activities were provided under the campaign. These include seminars and workshops, radio broadcast of safe driving and health messages, advertisements in newspapers and at tunnel entrances and prominent sites near trunk roads, distribution of posters and stickers, as well as the offer of free health checks for professional drivers. In addition, newsletters have been produced for the various transport trades to enhance awareness and knowledge of safe driving.

Highlighting Our Vision – ‘Zero Accidents on the Road’

The Council strives to deliver road safety messages to the community through various channels and platforms. Over the years, these have included distributing souvenirs bearing the Council’s logo, vision and road safety slogans, and adopting innovative ideas to promote road safety initiatives. In order to bring the issue of elderly pedestrian safety to the attention of the general public, the Council organised the ‘Elderly Pedestrian Safety Photo Competition’ in July 2011.

Targeted Safety Messages

The broadcasting of APIs on different media platforms is an important and effective tool to promote road safety messages to the community. Various APIs promoted the Council’s four main themes – anti-drug driving, anti-drink driving, cycling safety and elderly pedestrian safety – and will continue to be broadcast on television. As more and more people take up cycling, the Council invited 2012 London Olympic Bronze Medallist Ms Sarah Lee Wai Sze to film a new API on cycling safety, reminding all road users that bicycles and motor vehicles have an equal right to use the road and thus cyclists and drivers should respect each other, among other tips for a safe cycling environment. The API was broadcast on television in early 2013.

The Council also explored new channels for the dissemination of road safety APIs. In addition to radio and television, the APIs were played in the public areas of six police premises. Other suitable locations will continue to be explored for the promotion of road safety messages.

In October, the ‘Road Safety Council Annual Ceremony 2012’ was held at Olympian City II in Tai Kok Tsui, with the Chairman of the Council, Mr Xavier Tang Kam-moon, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations) and other prominent guests and officials officiating. Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Tang said that the Council would continue to focus on our four main themes: Elderly Pedestrian Safety, Safe Cycling, Anti-Drink Driving and Anti-Drug Driving. He called on the public to join together in pursuit of the vision of ‘Zero accidents on the road, Hong Kong’s goal’.

The Council website (http://www.roadsafety.gov.hk/en/campaign/road_safety_campaigns2013.html) recorded an average of 3,835 daily visits last year, an increase of 8.3% over 2011. The website, which contains a range of road safety features and provides online access to all the Council publications with useful statistics and hyperlinks, aims to effectively disseminate road safety information to the general public.

The Council will continue to explore the use of all media platforms to best reach target audiences with tailored messages.

Ms LEE Wai-sze, Olympic bronze medallist, was invited by the Council to draw their own “Mr Egg” and all the “Mr Egg” figures were also displayed in the Road Safety Council Annual Ceremony 2012 which attracted a great public attention.

All “Mr Egg” figures which were drawn by primary and secondary school students, designing school students and the elderly earlier, were all exhibited at the venue in Road Safety Council Annual Ceremony 2012.