“Watch the road!”
Amid the pandemic, many people have chosen to drive rather than use public transport to minimize close contact with strangers. With more cars on the road, the probability of accidents has naturally increased in proportion. Over the past year, we have heard of many traffic accidents, the consequences of which have been deeply distressing to everyone. Perhaps if drivers had been just a little more careful, some of these accidents might not have happened—but then again, how can there be so many "what ifs" in life?
Q4 2020 Hong Kong Traffic Accident Blackspots (with map markers)
Red marker: 6 or more traffic accidents involving pedestrian casualties have occurred within the past year; or 9 or more traffic accidents involving casualties have occurred within the past year.
Blue marker: 2 or more traffic accidents involving fatalities have occurred within the past five years.
1. Kwong Fuk Road, Tai Po – Conflict between pedestrians and vehicles
Photo credit: RTHK
On August 22nd, a traffic accident occurred on Kwong Fuk Road in Tai Po, resulting in two deaths and eight injuries. One man died at the scene. The youngest victim was only 4 years old, and one of the injured was a pregnant woman; fortunately, subsequent examinations confirmed the fetus was stable.
Dr. Ringo Lee, President of the Hong Kong Automobile Association, stated that the incident was not related to road design or pedestrian issues. Local district councilors also noted that the area has high pedestrian and vehicle traffic. Drivers often intentionally slow down to let people pass, and the main concern is reminding elderly people to check traffic lights carefully before crossing the road.
2. Tai Chung Kiu Road, Sha Tin – Obstructed view by large vehicles
Tai Chung Kiu Road in Sha Tin saw two accidents within 10 days in June (June 4th and 13th). The first involved a school bus carrying over fifty students colliding at high speed with a private car, crashing into the cycling track beside the Shing Mun River, resulting in injuries to about half of the students. The second incident involved a minibus colliding with a private car; the minibus overturned upon impact, and the driver died at the scene.
Dr. Lee stated that over 250 traffic accidents have occurred on Tai Chung Kiu Road in the last 8 years. Large vehicles can easily obstruct the view of smaller vehicles behind them, making it difficult for drivers to clearly see traffic lights and resulting in an inability to brake in time. Drivers should pay extra attention to traffic signs.
3. Kwun Tong Road – A challenging roundabout
Photo credit: Mapio.net
On September 25, 2020, a car traveling along the four lanes of Kwun Tong Road towards Kowloon Bay collided with another private car at Tsui Ping Road, Kwun Tong, and mounted the pavement, injuring a mother and daughter.
Traffic engineer and chairman of the Road Safety Research Group, Kwong Tsz-hin, pointed out that roundabouts are arguably the biggest challenge for drivers. In 2019, 260 accidents occurred at roundabouts because drivers must stay highly alert to multitask—turning, changing lanes, and yielding to other vehicles. Especially in places as busy as Kwun Tong, drivers really need to pay more attention to what is ahead and behind them.
4. Tsuen Kam Interchange – Lane changing at will leads to accidents
Photo credit: Wikipedia
On March 31st, a truck lost control and mounted the central divider, leaving the vehicle suspended in the air and impacting traffic in the area. The Tsuen Kam Interchange had two traffic blackspot signs in the fourth quarter of 2020. Experts indicate that drivers at the Tsuen Kam Interchange often dislike yielding and change lanes at will, which easily leads to accidents.
5. Argyle Street, Mong Kok – Excessively narrow roads
Photo credit: Wikipedia
On May 1st, a man crossing the road irregularly was hit by a taxi, thrown onto the windshield, and then rebounded onto the ground. The victim's left leg was fractured and twisted, and he also suffered a head injury.
In the fourth quarter of 2020, Argyle Street alone had five traffic blackspot signs within the Mong Kok area. In 2017, a woman had her right leg run over by a Citybus at the same location and required amputation. Mong Kok's roads are narrow with heavy pedestrian and vehicle traffic, so efforts have been made over the last decade to improve the pedestrian bridge system to reduce the shared use of narrow road surfaces by people and vehicles.
Although the government installs traffic blackspot signs in areas where accidents have occurred repeatedly, this does not mean that roads without signs should be treated lightly. Therefore, remember to start with the basics when driving: do not use your phone, pay close attention to road conditions, and be considerate of others. Each time you pass a traffic blackspot sign, it should serve as a reminder. We hope everyone will observe the road users' code to prevent tragedies from occurring.
Recommended car accessories for safe driving
References:
2. Scene is a traffic blackspot with high pedestrian and vehicle traffic | Headline Daily
3. Sha Tin school bus and private car collision injures 24, including 22 students | Now News
4. 【Sha Tin car accident】 Heartbreaking scenes as minibus driver's friends and family hold road-side ceremony; Sources: Black private car driver suspected of running a red light turns himself in | Topick
7. Roundabout = traffic jam? Road Research Society: The fault lies in urban planning; most suitable for these types of locations
FAQ
Which traffic blackspots in Hong Kong should drivers pay special attention to?
At the time of this article's publication (2021), the five most concerning locations included Kwong Fuk Road in Tai Po, Tai Chung Kiu Road in Sha Tin, the Kwun Tong Road roundabout, the Tsuen Kam Interchange, and Argyle Street in Mong Kok, which involve issues such as pedestrian-vehicle conflict, obstructed views, and improper lane changing.
How is a location designated as a traffic blackspot?
According to the Transport Department's marking criteria, sites are marked in red if there have been 6 or more traffic accidents involving pedestrian casualties or 9 or more involving casualties within a year; they are marked in blue if there have been 2 or more fatal accidents within five years.
What should I be aware of when driving through a traffic blackspot?
Start with the basics: do not use your phone, maintain close observation of road conditions, and be considerate of others. Be careful when changing lanes and yielding at roundabouts and interchanges. Treat the traffic blackspot sign as a reminder and abide by the road users' code.
