Traffic accident prompts calls for stricter road safety regulations

A screenshot from a video shows a woman crossing the zebra crossing just before being struck by a car

Pedestrian safety has come under the spotlight in Macau as calls grow for stricter traffic laws and harsher penalties in the wake of a disturbing accident caught on video.

Macau has seen a concerning spike in traffic accidents, with the latest government data showing a 24.3% year-on-year increase in July, resulting in 1,405 accidents and 491 injuries. The worrying trend has continued in the first seven months of the year, with 9,071 accidents, two fatalities, and 3,212 injuries.

The issue came to the forefront last Friday, when a 24-year-old woman was struck by a car while crossing a zebra crossing in the Ilha Verde district.

According to the Public Security Police (PSP), the woman suffered various injuries including to her head, but no life-threatening injuries.

The 50-year-old driver, who passed a breathalyzer test, failed to yield to the pedestrian, and no brake marks were found at the scene.

Footage of the incident, which has circulated onto social media, shows the vehicle approaching the crossing without slowing down, colliding with the unsuspecting pedestrian.

The incident has sparked public outrage, with calls for stricter regulations and harsher penalties for reckless driving. “These people should be permanently suspended and must be severely punished!” commented one social media user, echoing the sentiments of many who are calling for harsher consequences for this sort of behavior.
Lei Chong Sam, a member of the Transport Consultative Committee, emphasized the need for the authorities to review and strengthen existing traffic regulations. “As far as the authorities are concerned, I hope they will be able to tighten up the law enforcement. I think that is the way to improve road safety,” he said.

Another user shared multiple dash cam videos showing close calls at zebra crossings, writing, “I hope the law enforcement departments can take a square look at the traffic chaos, it is not just a matter of one or two times. Drivers should remember that they have a powerful machine in their hands, and pay more attention to the pedestrians, then there will be less accidents.”

One of the videos shows two young girls under the age of 10 holding each other’s hands while crossing a zebra crossing, as a reckless car zoomed straight past them, almost hitting the two children. The close calls of these incidents caused the comment sections to erupt in outrage over the lack of regulations and penalties for road safety.

“Support heavy sentences! If Macau is really serious about this, there would not be so much chaos in Macau, no demerit points system, no heavier penalties, no matter what you say #TransportAffairsBureau,” said one comment.

Lei that the ongoing road projects could be contributing to the problem, as vehicles and pedestrians are forced to share the road due to construction.

He has called on the authorities to review and strengthen the existing traffic regulations. He also suggested the installation of speed bumps at zebra crossings as a measure to enhance pedestrian safety. Victoria Chan