A four-year-old girl was killed in a road accident on Clear Water Bay Road, near Pak Shek Wo Village, Sai Kung, at around 1:00 pm yesterday afternoon (17 August). A private car driven by a 56-year-old man was travelling along Clear Water Bay Road from Sai Kung. when it reportedly knocked down the girl who was crossing the road. Sustaining serious head injuries, the girl was certified dead at scene.
The private car driver was arrested for dangerous driving causing death and is being detained for further enquiries.
Residents of Pak Shek Wo village are quoted in the local media as saying that the traffic at that point on Clear Water Bay Road is very heavy, and there is no formal crossing point. It sometimes takes 20 minutes or more to cross the road, especially in the morning rush hours. Villagers, District Councillors and traffic experts have repeatedly asked the Transport Department to install a crossing and/or traffic lights near the spot so that they can safely cross the road to the bus stops. Their appeals have been repeatedly turned down.
The problem has been made worse over the past six or seven years with the never ending road works associated with the drainage works along the centre of the road. Local Sai Kung Hang Hau West district councillor Lau Yuk Lun said that there had been several accidents near the site of this incident in the past few years and the District Council had reflected their concerns to government departments to improve the road infrastructure, but were refused; in July this year, the Transport Department said they would consider a pedestrian traffic light. He hoped that the government would learn lessons from the accident this time, and consider various barrier free access facilities, such as the construction of a footbridge and lifts to improve road safety.
Hong Kong Automobile Association suggested that the government may consider revising the short term speed limit along the residential sections of the road, consider pedestrian crossings, and erecting more slow down signs to remind drivers to pay attention to pedestrian safety, and even laying anti-skid steel sand on the road. In the long run, the government may build a bridge and pedestrian crossing lights.
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