Publicity

Achieving our vision of road safety requires a concerted effort in multiple areas, especially publicity. In 2016, the Council strengthened its existing publicity tools and created new platforms to highlight the most pressing road safety concerns in order to raise the community’s awareness of road safety.

Elderly Pedestrian Safety

Publicity activities throughout the year continued to address the safety of elderly pedestrians. The Council worked closely with various stakeholders to conduct education and publicity campaigns in areas with relatively high numbers of traffic accidents involving elderly pedestrians. Much of this work was focused on pedestrian education. The elderly were reminded to use proper road crossing facilities, such as signal controlled pedestrian crossings, zebra crossings, footbridges and pedestrian subways.

The Council held a phone-in quiz competition from June 2016 to January 2017 in conjunction with Radio Television Hong Kong, involving 40 teams from elderly centres in different areas of Hong Kong. Besides the quiz competition, a music video – ‘Be a Smart Pedestrian’ – was also produced to disseminate the message of elderly pedestrian safety. The video successfully reached a wide audience via different media, including the internet.

Cycling Safety

Cycling safety continues to be a concern among members of the public. The Council and the government promote cycling safety extensively through various publicity channels. The number of traffic accidents involving bicycles decreased 16.9%, from 2 511 in 2015 to 2 087 in 2016.

Pamphlets conveying relevant traffic regulations, responsibilities of cyclists on the road and best practices when using cycling tracks are widely distributed to cyclists, pedestrians and employers of staff members who cycle to make rural and urban goods deliveries. A new Road Safety Bulletin entitled ‘Cycling on Cycle Tracks’ was published during the year to remind cyclists of cycling rules and safety tips when using cycle tracks.

In September, the Council and the Police conducted a publicity campaign to promote safe cycling and the importance of wearing a helmet and other protective gear. The ‘Wise Ride 2016 Safe Cycling Promotion Campaign’ was held at the Pak Shek Kok Promenade, Sha Tin. The Council also organised a “Safe Cycling Training Programme” to strengthen primary and secondary students’ knowledge of cycling rules and safety.

The Transport Department operates an internet-based Cycling Information Centre (CIC) (http://www.td.gov.hk/mini_site/cic/en/) to provide the public with convenient access to information on cycling, including safety. 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 ensure a safe cycling environment.

On 18 September, the Road Safety Council and the New Territories South Traffic Headquarters of the Hong Kong Police Forcejointly held the ‘Wise Ride 2016 Safe Cycling Promotion Campaign’ at Pak Shek Kok Promenade, Shatin.

Anti-Drink Driving and Anti-Drug Driving

The number of drivers arrested in traffic accidents involving drink driving decreased four percent from 264 in 2015 to 254 in 2016, while the number of drivers arrested in traffic accidents involving drug driving decreased 46% from 13 in 2015 to seven in 2016.

The Council is working to enhance public awareness of road safety through publicity and education. To remind people not to drive after drinking and to highlight the adverse effects of drugs on their driving ability, the Council continues its use of the slogans ‘If you drink, don’t drive’, ‘Drug Driving – Never Risk It’ and ‘Drug Driving – Zero Tolerance’ aiming to disseminate the messages to all sectors of society.

The Council reinforces its anti–drink driving and anti–drug driving messages by deploying flyover banners, parking meter stickers and bus advertisements, and conducts publicity events with the Police in entertainment areas throughout the territory.

The campaign against drink driving was maintained through a series of proactive programmes. Some 399 stickers bearing anti–drink driving messages were placed on parking meters throughout Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and the New Territories. In addition, anti–drug driving banners were placed on flyovers and footbridges above strategic roads with high traffic volumes.

In partnership with the Police, the Council conducted a ‘No Drug and No Drink Driving Bus Parade’ at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre piazza and a publicity campaign in Lan Kwai Fong during October and December to promote anti–drink driving and anti–drug driving respectively. These publicity campaigns attracted wide media coverage.

The “Be a Responsible Driver” Road Safety Bulletin published by the Council reminds drivers to comply strictly with legislative requirements on drink driving and drug driving.

The Council will continue to conduct anti–drink driving and anti–drug driving publicity campaigns, and the Police will increase enforcement action to enhance safety awareness among the public and to change undesirable behaviour among drivers.

Sidelights of the ‘Attentive Driving Carnival cum Light Rail and MTR Bus Road Safety Campaign’

On 28 February, the Road Safety Council and New Territories North Traffic Headquarters of the Hong Kong Police Force jointly held the Attentive Driving Carnival cum Light Rail and MTR Bus Road Safety Campaign in Tuen Mun.

Driving Attentively

‘Driving inattentively’ has been the top driver contributory factor in traffic accidents for the past five years. Since 2014, the Council has promoted the theme of ‘Driving Attentively’ to remind drivers to pay more attention whilst driving. An API to promote attentive driving and discourage the use of mobile phones and electronic devices while driving has been broadcast on TV and radio since 9 January 2015. A new radio API was launched on 11 January 2016, reminding drivers to secure all goods and not to overload vehicles. In February and November 2016, the Council and Hong Kong Police Force jointly held an ‘Attentive Driving Carnival cum Light Rail and MTR Bus Road Safety Campaign’ in Tuen Mun. The event successfully spread the messages of attentive driving and road safety to the public.

Student Pedestrian Safety

An analysis of pedestrian casualties involved in traffic accidents revealed that the ‘killed’ and ‘seriously injured’ casualty rates for victims aged between 10 and 14 were higher than for any other age group, except for that over 65. The Council acted to enhance the road safety of the concerned age group by adopting ‘Student Pedestrian Safety’ as one of the main themes of its publicity campaigns.

In September and December 2016, the Council held a ‘Road Safety Council 43rd Anniversary Ceremony cum Student Pedestrian Safety Kick-off Ceremony’ at Plaza Hollywood in Diamond Hill and jointly organised a ‘Sau Mau Ping Road Safety Town Open Day and Kowloon East Region Secondary School Student Road Safety Logo Competition Prize Presentation Ceremony’ with the Police at the Sau Mau Ping Road Safety Town respectively to promote road safety messages to students.

It is of paramount importance to instil the concept of road safety in students. School education is an effective way to enhance students’ road safety awareness and reduce traffic accidents involving students. A holistic school curriculum comprising knowledge, skills and values/attitudes is provided for kindergarten, primary and secondary students.

Sidelights of the ‘Road Safety Council 43rd Anniversary Ceremony cum Student Pedestrian Safety Kick-off Ceremony 2016’

On 24 September, the Chairman of the Road Safety Council and Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations), Mr Tony Wong Chi-hung, delivered the opening speech at the ‘Road Safety Council 43rd Anniversary Ceremony cum Student Pedestrian Safety Kick-off Ceremony 2016’ at the Star Atrium, 1/F, Plaza Hollywood.

Safe Driving and Health Campaign

Every year, to enhance the safe driving skills and health awareness of commercial vehicle drivers, the Transport Department runs a ‘Safe Driving and Health Campaign’. A wide range of services and activities were delivered in the 2016 campaign, focusing on four major themes: “Safe Driving Attitude and Behaviour”, “Respect Other Road Users”, “No Drink Driving and Drug Driving” and “Maintain Good Health Conditions”. The campaign programme included the dissemination of safe driving and health messages through radio broadcasts and other publicity channels, and the provision of free health checks to commercial vehicle drivers.

On 9 October, the Road Safety Council and Traffic Kowloon West of the Hong Kong Police Force held the No Drug and No Drink Driving Bus Parade. The Bus started from the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Piazza and paraded around the district.

Targeted Safety Messages

The broadcast of APIs on various media platforms is an important and effective tool to promote road safety messages to the community. Several different APIs promote the Council’s five main themes – “Elderly Pedestrian Safety”, “Cycling Safety”, “Anti–Drink and Anti–Drug Driving”, “Driving Attentively” and “Student Pedestrian Safety” – and will continue to be shown on television. ‘Driving inattentively’ has been the top driver contributory factor in traffic accidents for the past five years. A targeted API highlighting the dangers to road users has been broadcast on TV and radio since 9 January 2015 to remind drivers to be attentive whilst driving.

The Council website

website:www.roadsafety.gov.hk/en/campaign/road_safety_campaigns2016.html

The Council website contains a range of road safety features and provides online access to all the Council’s publications, useful statistics and hyperlinks. It aims to disseminate road safety information to the public effectively and recorded a daily average of 3 609 visits in 2016.

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