The District campaign also supports the joint vision of the Police and the District Council of Tuen Mun as a safe community. The objective of the campaign is to reduce accidents involving pedestrians and cyclists. These two groups are regarded particularly vulnerable because they have no protection in the event of collision with a motor vehicle, resulting in death or serious injury. This vulnerability will increase when, as often is the case, children or the elderly are involved.

Following the introductory educational phase will be enforcement actions.

To educate the public, eight posters have been produced, each illustrating a different road offence and carrying a related slogan. They have been placed at traffic accident black spots, such as crossings in such a way that a pedestrian can see them whatever direction from which he approaches.

In addition, three films have also been produced, each with eight core segments illustrating the offences to be targeted. The first film is for internal briefing purposes, while the other two are being introduced to primary and secondary school children by School Liaison Officers. The commentary has been pitched at the appropriate age group.

A member of the District Traffic Team (DTT) will also visit each school in the district to explain the campaign further, answer questions and introduce the films. A central theme for the school visit is to ask the children to teach their parents and grandparents on the proper behaviour on the roads. Each of the schools is also given a copy of the film in DVD for teaching purposes.

Prior to the campaign, the District management has impressed on officers that "Every day is traffic day" and that "Traffic is the responsibility of everybody". To reinforce these messages, each sub-unit has been given a computer disc to cover each beat. Each disc contains a beat list made up of three segments that is updated monthly. The first segment covers locations from the Regional list of traffic accident black spots or locations where a pedestrian or cyclist was seriously injured last year. The second gives locations where pedestrian and cycling offences are prevalent and enforcement action is required. Finally the third segment gives details of the locations that have been the subject of recent letters of complaint concerning traffic matters.

Another innovation of the District has been the introduction of two days' tutoring by DTT for officers posted to the District direct from Police Training School. The principal aim of this is to pair them with a DTT officer, as well as to give them extensive practice in issuing various traffic summonses and dealing with accidents. After the tutoring, it is hoped that the officers will be better equipped to participate in the campaign. Finally the DTT officer will also act as a mentor should the mentee has any further problems with his work.

The campaign has been well received by the District Council, the public and officers of Tuen Mun District. More encouraging is the fact that the behaviour of the target groups within the District has changed. It is hoped that their whole mindset will be changed so that the roads will be safer and that no enforcement will be required.

The District management will review the campaign in six months.

Kowloon West promotes road safety

Meanwhile, Traffic Kowloon West and the districts of Yau Tsim, Mong Kok, Kowloon City and Sham Shui Po are joining forces to reduce the number of traffic accidents in Kowloon West Region through on-street road safety education for pedestrians, stepping up enforcement actions and upgrading facilities at pedestrian black spots. Upgrading works include road surface re-engineering and crossing signal rescheduling.

Enforcement actions were stepped up against offending motorists and pedestrians throughout the Kowloon West Region during a 24-hour period commencing on May 24.

Member of District Traffic Team gives talks at schools

A Traffic Warden distributes road safety leaflets to pedestrians