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| Police also arrested 31 passengers for not wearing seat belts during a 2022 operation (File photo) |
The police have renewed a crackdown on passengers who do not wear seatbelts on public minibuses, arresting 31 people in the process.
Under the Road Traffic (Safety Equipment) Regulations, all passengers on minibuses equipped with seatbelts should wear them, or be fined a maximum of $5,000 and jailed for up to three months.
Police regularly checked if the ordinance was being followed a few years ago, but have not been as strict in enforcing it lately.
In today's renewed crackdown, officers from Kowloon East traffic division disguised as commuters boarded several minibuses to check for violators.
All 31 passengers who were found not to have properly fastened their seat belts were issued with summonses which they can discharge by paying the fine.
The police said they will continue similar operations to promote road safety.
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The crackdown follows the publication in the Government Gazette last month of proposed amendment regulations for mandating the fitting and wearing of seat belts in all newly registered buses, private light buses, goods vehicles and special purpose vehicles. Seat belts are already required in all school buses, old or newly registered.
The new law also regulates drivers’ use of mobile phones, tablets and laptops while driving. The restrictions will be imposed on the number of devices, screen size and placement of the device.
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| Transport officials show samples of CSDs that children must use in private vehicles from Nov 1 |
Meanwhile, the government reminded all private car drivers that starting on November 1, all child passengers in private cars in Hong Kong must use a child restraining device (CSD) such as child safety seats or seatbelts.
Offending drivers may be issued with a fixed penalty notice of $230, but if the violation is serious, the case will be referred to the court, which can impose a maximum fine of $2,000.
The regulation requiring CRD covers child passengers below 8 years old and stand at 1.35 meters or below, regardless of whether they are sitting in the front or rear seats.
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Those who are above 8 years old or stand more than 1.35 meters must either use a CRD or an adult seat belt.
Apart from child car seats, portable CRDs such as seat belt adjusters, restraint vests and foldable boosters can also be used. However, safety experts said they may not offer the same kind of protection as CRDs which have protective pads and seat backs on both sides.
For more details on the new regulation, please refer to the TD’s dedicated webpage, (www.td.gov.hk/en/road_safety/crd), infographics on the Agent T Facebook page and the relevant article in the Consumer Council's CHOICE Magazine for the legal requirements and selection tips, or call the TD's hotline 2804 2600.
