Traffic

Traffic officers played a major role in the year's large-scale public events.
The Handover Ceremony and the WB/IMF Annual Meetings necessitated
major diversionary traffic schemes and full deployment of the Force
Escort Group as well as regional enforcement and control teams.

The opening of major infrastructure projects associated with the port and
airport development led to an increased policing commitment, notably at
the West Kowloon Corridor and the bridges and highways linking to
Lantau Island.

Enforcement of drink-driving legislation introduced in 1995 continued to
expand, although the number of drivers involved in accidents and found
to have consumed alcohol remained constant at around 10 per cent. All
traffic patrol officers had been issued with screening devices by the end
of the year.

Additional cameras for detecting red-light offences were bought, allowing
the number of locations covered to double from 15 to 30. A further 15
sets of equipment were installed at junctions on the Light Rail Transit
system in the New Territories, which were considered accident black
spots. Mobile Enforcement also benefited with the purchase of two more
VASCAR in-car video speed detection devices.

During 1997, there were 14 747 traffic accidents involving casualties,
representing an increase of 2.4 per cent over the previous year. The
number of fixed penalty tickets issued for moving offences increased by
1.7 per cent compared with 1996. Police and traffic wardens issued 1.56
million tickets for parking offences during the year, representing a
decrease of 8.2 per cent.

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