Hong Kong has proposed limiting all motorists – including taxi drivers – to having two mobile phones in front of them while driving, an official has said.
Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan Mable Chan said in a Saturday blog post that the government will submit a proposal next month limiting all drivers to two devices. The amendments to the Road Traffic Ordinance are slated to take effect on January 25 next year.
“When it comes to mobile telecommunication devices in front of the driver’s seat, [I] believe… phones on taxi dashboards phones will come to mind,” Chan said in her Chinese post.
“We have proposed the relevant amendments to require that no more than two mobile telecommunication devices should be placed in front of the driver’s seat when driving, so as to further enhance road safety,” she said.
The authorities have weighed various factors such as road safety, the operational needs of the industry and technological development, she added.
2022 proposal
The embattled taxi industry has long faced criticism over its service standards, as well as road safety incidents involving cabs.
In July, the government passed amendments requiring all taxis to install in-vehicle cameras, dashcams, and GPS trackers by early 2027 – functions that the authorities said would help deter malpractice and enhance road safety.
Installations will begin some time next year, Chan said on Saturday, while a requirement for taxis to have at least two types of e-payment methods installed will take effect in April.
In response to safety concerns, the government in 2022 proposed a two-device cap with a fixed penalty of HK$450 for violating the regulation. Offenders could be hit with a maximum HK$2,000 fine for more serious cases.
Then-transport commissioner Rosanna Law said that two devices were sufficient, as one could be used to take orders on ride-hail platforms and a second could be for navigational purposes.
Chan on Saturday also said the authorities would propose requiring seats on all newly registered buses to be fitted with safety belts, with the new rules also coming into effect on January 25 next year.
Last month, the death of a Filipino tourist who was fatally struck by an 80-year-old taxi driver’s vehicle reignited discussions about road safety in the aging industry.
