Some people, especially folks driving older cars that don’t have Android Auto or Apple CarPlay, might sometimes be prone to take a simpler approach — using their phone. Buy a dashboard/windshield mount for your phone, and it’s just as good as an actual head unit. But in Hong Kong, a lot of professional drivers tend to take this a bit to… the extreme, so to speak. It’s not a rare sight to see taxi drivers and minibus operators plugging in multiple phones, tablets, and even radios with distracting displays on their vehicle’s dashboard for navigation, seeing bookings, and checking traffic info. That’s led to rising casualties on the city’s roadways. But there’s some hope for good news yet as authorities are planning moves to take care of this issue.
According to South China Morning Post, the Transport and Logistics Bureau of Hong Kong is recommending that drivers who install more than two devices on their dashboards be subject to fines of up to HK$2,000 (US$255). Traffic police would give first-time offenders with HK$450 (US$57) citations, while repeat offenders and some of the most extreme cases would face court-issued sanctions.
The proposal also seeks to impose more limitations on the kind of smart gadgets that can be used in vehicles. One limitation is that you can only utilise tablets with screens up to 7.1 inches across. Additionally, the placement of the equipment shouldn’t obstruct the driver’s vision or ability to view the road ahead.
Hong Kong only fines drivers who use their phones while driving at the moment.
The two-device restriction has generally received approval from taxi and public light bus drivers’ lobbyists, but they are less enthusiastic about a different plan that would require operators to exclusively utilise voice instructions for their gadgets.
Other recommendations for new safety regulations include requiring seat belts in all moving public transportation and motorcycle helmets.