Road Traffic Law amendments fast-tracked following fatal zebra crossing crash

Following Wednesday’s tragedy involving the death of a 10-year-old boy in a zebra crossing crash, authorities announced that they would expedite the public consultation process and begin amending the Road Traffic Law – a process originally scheduled to begin in 2028.

The Road Traffic Law amendment process, which began in 2018, ended unsuccessfully after the bill expired with the close of the seventh Legislative Assembly (AL) term last year.

The proposed legislation initially introduced a demerit points system in late 2023, passed its first reading in 2024 with 27 votes in favor and two abstentions, but stalled during committee review. After more than a year of deadlock, the government abandoned the demerit points system in favor of a milder “accumulation points” system and increased penalty amounts across various offenses.

Despite these concessions, the bill failed to pass before the term ended and was ultimately shelved.

“Due to divergent views on the bill’s content among various sectors of society and members of the AL, a consensus could not ultimately be achieved, resulting in the bill’s failure to pass,” the Secretary for Administration and Justice, Wong Sio Chak, observed Friday.

He further stated: “During last year’s AL deliberations on the amendment, the authorities maintained continuous communication with the public; nevertheless, differences regarding the bill’s content persisted between AL members and various societal sectors, and ultimately, no consensus could be reached. The AL has already announced the relevant outcomes to the public.”

Wong reaffirmed that the AL’s decision to shelve the bill reflects a desire for a more scientific and rational approach to legislative amendments, stressing that any legislation must achieve maximum social consensus and that public consultation does not guarantee passage.

While expressing regret that the amendment failed, he noted that legislation is a full-process undertaking involving consultation, drafting, Executive Council review, and legislative deliberation. For legislation to succeed, he said, it must precisely capture public opinion, adopt a scientific approach, address issues systematically, and respond to enforcement needs and social development challenges.

Responding to reporters’ questions on Friday regarding progress on the renewed Road Traffic Law amendments while attending an Executive Council (ExCo) press conference, the Secretary stated that authorities will advance the process ahead of schedule at the Chief Executive’s request, despite the fact that the amendment work was originally planned to begin in two years.

He confirmed that a new round of public consultation will be launched to gather public views to facilitate subsequent legislative work, adding, “We will not wait until 2028.” However, according to his remarks, no specific timeline has been set yet.

Previous demerit points system ‘in name only’

Former lawmaker Ron Lam has reignited debate over Macau’s stalled Road Traffic Law amendments, revealing that the demerit points system proposed in the previous government’s bill – which lapsed with the end of the last legislative term – explicitly excluded serious offenses such as failing to yield at pedestrian crossings.

The former lawmaker, who has two young daughters and repeatedly attended government discussions and briefed the media on the urgency of the amendments during his tenure, said the public is largely unaware that under the scrapped bill, dangerous behaviors including running red lights, speeding, and zebra crossing violations would not have triggered demerit points.

Instead, they would have remained subject to a “minor offense” framework requiring two repeat violations within two years to trigger a driving ban – a penalty he described as having “no deterrent effect whatsoever.”

Meanwhile, the only violations actually included in the points system were minor infractions such as exceeding vehicle width limits, which are prosecuted only a handful of times each year.

“How can this improve traffic safety?” he asked.

Beyond the legislative shortcomings, Lam, in a message to the Times, also pointed to chronic enforcement and infrastructure failures.

Dangerous driving behaviors such as turning without indicators, reckless lane changes, tailgating, and speeding on narrow roads are common, he said, yet police rarely take proactive action. He called for the creation of official channels for reporting unsafe driving – a system already in place in neighboring regions – rather than the current reality in which videos must first go viral on social media before any action is taken.

On infrastructure, he revealed that he has been calling for uniform improvements to zebra crossing lighting for over a decade to enhance driver visibility, but “my voice carries little weight, and progress has been minimal.”

He urged authorities to conduct a comprehensive review of crosswalk design and lighting rather than carrying out piecemeal fixes after every serious accident.

Lam also noted that defensive driving concepts – which help drivers anticipate potential risks –have long been incorporated into driving tests and public education campaigns in many regions, but when he raised the suggestion in Macau, “it felt like some officials had never even heard of it.”

Concluding his statement, he called for swift legislative action to implement a truly deterrent demerit points system, the establishment of official reporting channels, and the integration of defensive driving education into driver training. “Only through a combination of enforcement and education can we raise driver awareness and prevent further tragedies,” he said.

Bereaved family expresses gratitudefor public support

In the aftermath of Wednesday’s fatal traffic accident, a steady stream of citizens has made their way to the crash site to pay tribute, leaving floral bouquets, toys, and snacks in memory of the young victim.

Nick Ho, the principal of Lin Fong Pou Chai School – the institution attended by the deceased boy – told reporters on Saturday that the family has been deeply moved by the public outpouring of condolences over recent days.

With the family’s permission and mindful of the hot weather, and not wishing to see the public’s heartfelt offerings go to waste, the school has coordinated with the relevant authorities to transfer the items to the charity hall on the second floor of Kiang Wu Funeral Home, where they will continue to be displayed.

Separately, members of the public made donations on Saturday at a condolence collection point established at Macao Daily News. According to the newspaper’s report, a total of MOP66,709, HKD52,630, and RMB2,000 was collected.

Macao Daily News confirmed that the full amount has been handed over to the boy’s school, with Ho signing a receipt and undertaking to forward the donations to the boy’s family.

The boy’s family, speaking through the school, indicated that they are currently under no financial strain. They expressed sincere gratitude to the public for their love and support, to various government departments for their care and assistance, and to the school’s teachers and students for their concern and condolences. YL