Hong Kong government defends fixed-penalty framework in LegCo reply on pedestrian offences

The Hong Kong government has responded to a Legislative Council question on replacing fixed fines with more educational measures for minor offences. In a written reply, Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan said the administration combines education with enforcement to change risky behaviour, and confirmed that pedestrians who breach crossing rules are prosecuted by summons rather than under a fixed-penalty regime, with courts determining penalties of up to HK$2,000.

The past three years in numbers

Police figures show 8,912 prosecutions and 527 verbal warnings in 2023 for pedestrians crossing without complying with traffic rules, 9,105 prosecutions and 745 warnings in 2024, and 6,689 prosecutions and 301 warnings in 2025. Pedestrian casualties in traffic accidents fell from about 2,800 in 2023 to about 2,500 in 2025, a decrease of about eight per cent.

The government's position

The reply said the government weighs the overall deterrent effect, legal implications, court operations and administrative resources when assessing proposals to replace fines with non-monetary penalties such as community service. Having weighed those factors, it considers the current prosecution and penalty framework effective, while keeping arrangements under review. For public cleanliness offences, fixed-penalty enforcement is carried out by the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department in public places and by relevant departments at managed venues, alongside tighter regulation, stepped-up enforcement, improved cleaning services, technology use and public education.

Road safety education continues

The authorities also highlighted ongoing citywide road safety education: the Transport Department and police continue to partner with the Road Safety Council on campaigns ranging from television and online clips to school and elderly-centre talks, printed bulletins and social media. With older pedestrians representing a high share of fatalities, targeted initiatives include talks, vehicle blind-spot demonstrations, road-safety drama and virtual-reality experiences. Police mounted four territory-wide thematic operations on pedestrian safety in 2026.