Safe Driving and Health Campaign to enhance road safety (with photos)
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The Secretary for Transport and Housing, Ms Eva Cheng, called on the transport trade and commercial vehicle drivers to continue their support for the "Safe Driving and Health Campaign" and join hands in enhancing road safety.
Speaking at the launch ceremony for the campaign's second year today (January 10), Ms Cheng noted that with the collaboration of the Government, Road Safety Council, transport trade, commercial vehicle drivers and the community, the number of fatal accidents last year was 113, marking the lowest record since 1950s.
"However, we will not be lax in promoting road safety for even a single accident is too many. We do not want to see anyone losing his life due to a traffic accident," she said.
"Though the number of traffic accidents has been decreasing in the past 10 years, it is apparent that there was a slight increase last year when compared with the previous year. We need to be alert to this."
She hoped that the transport trade would continue its close liaison with the Transport Department (TD) and encourage more commercial vehicle drivers to participate in the coming activities of the "Safe Driving and Health Campaign" so as to work towards the vision of "Zero Accidents on the Road, Hong Kong's Goal".
This is the second year that the TD has organised the "Safe Driving and Health Campaign". The campaign aims to promote road safety by enhancing the safe driving and health awareness of the commercial vehicles driver.
For this year's campaign, participating commercial vehicle drivers will not only receive simple health checks (including measurement of health indicators such as height, weight, BMI and blood pressure) as in last year, they will also get a personal assessment of their health condition and advice on keeping healthy by registered Chinese medicine practitioners. Commercial vehicle drivers can enjoy these services at mobile medical vans stationed at various locations in the territory or at the two designated medical centres. It is expected that around 2,000 drivers will benefit. For those who have undergone health checks, they will also receive SMS with health tips via mobile phones in the next few months.
To cope with the mode of operation of commercial vehicle drivers, Commercial Radio has been engaged to broadcast programmes and messages to bring home health and safe driving tips.
Renowned cartoonist Mr Lee Chi-ching was also invited by the TD to create a series of cartoons to depict the importance of safe driving and healthy living in a simple and interesting way. These cartoons will be published in a local newspaper from today onwards and can be viewed on TD's website (www.td.gov.hk).
Commercial vehicle drivers are also encouraged to participate in seminars and workshops to obtain more information on safe driving and health tips.
Other officiating guests at today's launch ceremony included the Commissioner for Transport, Mr Joseph Y T Lai; Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations), Mr Tsang Wai-hung; Chairman of Transport Advisory Committee, Mr Rimsky Yuen; and Chairman of Road Safety Campaign Committee of Road Safety Council, Mr Lawrence Yu.
Ends/Monday, January 10, 2011
Issued at HKT 18:22
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