Hong Kong taxi alliance tests safety system to fix drivers’ bad habits, reduce accidents, curb soaring insurance premiums
- Electronic system can prod drivers who tailgate, nod off, change lanes without indicating
- Alliance counting on government to make system compulsory, provide subsidies to install it
A leading Hong Kong taxi alliance is working towards introducing a safety system in all cabs to fix drivers’ bad habits, prevent accidents and, hopefully, bring down skyrocketing insurance premiums.
The electronic system, costing several thousand dollars to install in each cab, will prod a driver if he tailgates or seems drowsy, and alert him if there are obstacles ahead or he changes lanes without indicating – all this on top of in-vehicle dash cameras.
The council, an alliance of 17 groups comprising owners, drivers and other stakeholders, hoped to persuade the government to make the system mandatory for taxis and provide relevant subsidies, council chairman Hung Wing-tat told the Post.
“Our aim is to install the safety devices in taxis to prevent road accidents and rein in insurance premiums,” he said.
“The ideal way is for the Transport Department to take up our recommendation and compel the city’s taxis to install the system, just like for franchised buses, and provide the taxis with subsidies.”