Anti-Drink Driving Campaign - A badly deformed vehicle served as a stark reminder
With the approach of the Christmas and New Year holidays, a badly deformed vehicle was displayed at the entrance of the Cross Harbour Tunnel to serve as a stark reminder of the grave consequences of drink driving. This campaign is conducted by Traffic Branch Headquarters (TBHQ) and the Road Safety Council (RSC). During the media brief held on 18th December 2009, Chief Superintendent (CSP) of TBHQ, Mr. Mike Demaid-Groves announced the drink driving statistics. The figures showed an upward trend since 2006 indicating some drivers still drink and drive, especially during festive seasons, such as Christmas and New Year. CSP Demaid-Groves stressed that the Police would step up education and publicity as well as enforcement action against drink driving during the festive seasons. Senior Superintendent of Traffic (Administration), Ms. Shirley Chu said that the display was only one of the publicity activities organised by the RSC and the Police. Other publicity activities during the Christmas and New Year would include broadcast of anti-drink driving message at outdoor TV screens at Tsim Sha Tsui and Causeway Bay and advertisement on the television systems inside 120 eateries all over the territory. Road Safety Campaign Committee Chairman of RSC, Mr. Lawrence Yu Kam-kee reiterated that ‘the wreckage of the vehicle aims at reminding the public, especially the drivers, the grave consequences of drink driving’. The Chairperson of the General Insurance Group, Hong Kong Federation of Insurers, Ms. Agnes Choi said there was a ‘drink driving’ exclusion clause in motor insurance policy. Although insurance company may first settle the claims filed by the victims of such accidents, insurance companies would recover the amount by taking legal action against the policyholder. The driver or the vehicle owner would eventually be held responsible for paying the cost of the drink driving accident. Representatives of the RSC, TBHQ and Hong Kong Federation of Insurers unveiled the deformed vehicle at the Hong Kong Island entrance of the Cross Harbour Tunnel after the media briefing. On 30th June 2010, the vehicle was relocated to the junction of Tai Po Road and Castle Peak Road in Sham Shui Po. The relocation was to tie in with the Police’s territory-wide anti-drink driving operation during the World Cup period in order to reinforce the message ‘If you drink, don’t drive!’ and also to remind the public again about the serious consequences of drink driving. |