The Road Safety Council, in collaboration with the Health Department, has launched its pedestrian safety campaign for 2004 that specially targets senior citizens.

Police figures show that 54 pedestrians were killed in traffic accidents during the first six months of this year - and  61% were over the age of 60.

In the coming three weeks, the Health Department and the Road Safety Council will reach out to seniors, their carers and the general public to drive home the message of pedestrian safety, said  Dr Carole Tam, the Health Department's Acting Community Physician.

Publicity will include TV and radio announcements in the public interest, posters and VCDs.

In the first week, Police will try to educate people and give only verbal warnings when pedestrians commit an offence. Police Regional Road Safety Teams and members of the Road Safety Patrols will distribute leaflets and souvenirs at about 60 locations in different districts including accident black spots. It aims to enhance pedestrians' road safety awareness and appeal to the public to comply with road safety regulations.

The following two weeks, they will take strict enforcement action.

Road safety: everyone's responsibility

Road safety is everyone's responsibility, the Road Safety Campaign Committee Chairman Lawrence Yu stressed at the campaign's launching ceremony. He called for community support and concerted efforts to help achieve "Zero Accidents on the Road, Hong Kong's Goal".

There was a 1.8% decrease in the number of pedestrian killed during the first six months of this year, compared with the same period in 2003. About 31% of the total of 7,310 traffic accidents involved pedestrians during the first six months of this year, which resulted in 2,362 casualties.

Common pedestrian offences include failing to comply with light signals, crossing within 15 metres of a footbridge or pedestrian subway and climbing over or through kerbside fences or central reservations onto a road.