Citybus to contact police after commuter stuck in potentially tampered seat belt

A Hong Kong bus operator has said it will contact police after discovering a piece of foil lodged inside a seat belt buckle, leaving a passenger trapped for 45 minutes before he was freed by firefighters. The incident came to light on Thursday as authorities face a backlash over new regulations introduced last Sunday that require passengers on public or private buses to wear seat belts where available. A Fire Services Department spokesman said firefighters and paramedics were called to a 795X service bus near a sports ground on Cheung Sha Wan Road at around 11.20am after a 40-year-old man was unable to unfasten his seat belt while preparing to get off. The passenger was said to have felt unwell owing to poor air circulation and was taken by ambulance to Caritas Medical Centre for treatment. He was rescued after being trapped for 45 minutes, as the driver was reportedly asked by his company not to cut the seat belt. Citybus said that after further inspection of the seat belt in question, it had found a piece of aluminium foil inside the buckle that had obstructed its normal operation. The firm added that it suspected that someone had deliberately tampered with the seat belt and said it would report the matter to police. The Transport Department said it was seriously concerned about the incident and had instructed the operator to submit a report and follow up rigorously, adding that authorities had been monitoring the implementation of the new requirement while listening to passenger feedback. The Fire Services Department confirmed it received the call at 11.27am and dispatched 16 firefighters and four paramedics, along with three fire engines, an ambulance and an ambulance motorcycle. Citybus also said it would conduct in-depth checks of seat belts on about 1,700 buses to ensure compliance with the new regulations. Earlier in the day, Transport Department Safety Director Stella Lee Yim-fong defended the rules, which have already drawn complaints from passengers, ranging from the hassle of buckling up for short trips and discomfort from stiff seat belts to issues with proper fitting for children. Lee dismissed suggestions to require seat belt use only on long-haul routes, as is done in other jurisdictions, as she cited Hong Kong’s unique road conditions. “There are a lot of hilly areas and steep roads [in Hong Kong], and many bus routes pass through highways, even some short-haul routes,” Lee told a radio programme. “And some roads are narrow and winding. “So, looking at the situation in Hong Kong, there is an actual need to require [compulsory seat belt use] on all routes, regardless of whether they serve the urban areas or the New Territories.” The regulations require all passengers travelling on public or private buses – including franchised and school services – to wear seat belts where available. Anyone convicted of breaching the law faces a maximum fine of HK$5,000 (US$640) and up to three months in prison. The new law has also prompted calls from major political parties for a review within six to nine months. Lee reiterated that authorities would focus on educating passengers in the initial phase, while bus companies would deploy ambassadors at bus stops to promote the new rules, particularly among elderly travellers. When asked about replacing the current three-point seat belts on buses with lap belts for easier alighting, Lee said any changes to the devices would require departmental approval, adding that the government would continue reviewing newer and more effective safety equipment available on the market. The new seat belt rules stem from an independent review committee on franchised bus services set up in 2018, following a bus crash on Tai Po Road that claimed 19 lives and left 66 injured. The report reviewed seat belt regulations in several jurisdictions, including the United States, the United Kingdom and Singapore, and found that none require seat belts on buses used for urban services. In the US, Britain and the Netherlands, seat belt rules apply only to intercity or cross-border buses. Speaking on the same programme as Lee, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology dean of engineering Lo Hong-kam – who sat on the committee – recalled that the panel had focused on installing seat belts rather than recommending a compulsory requirement, as most buses lacked them at the time. “The most important issue was installation back then,” Lo said. “Our ultimate goal was for everyone to buckle up [on buses], and benefits were supported both academically and experimentally. “The question is how to achieve widespread usage … [mandating all passengers to buckle up] is one of the most effective ways.” Following recommendations, the government commissioned an independent consultancy in 2019 to conduct a cost-benefit analysis on installing seat belts on the upper decks of public buses. Compared with seat belt requirements overseas, which typically apply to long-haul journeys such as intercity or cross-border routes, Lo said Hong Kong’s bus ridership reached nearly four million passengers per day – a level that led to higher casualty numbers despite the city’s low accident rate. He said that many bus accidents occurred in urban areas when vehicles were changing lanes, approaching traffic lights or pulling into bus stops, adding that routes in such areas often passed through highways. “It would be difficult to require passengers to buckle up on highways and unbuckle when they are off the highways,” he said. “Wouldn’t that be more disturbing?” Lo acknowledged public concerns and the fact that behavioural change would be inconvenient and require an adaptation period, but emphasised that the rule would ultimately safeguard passenger safety. Additional reporting by Jess Ma

Citybus to contact police after commuter stuck in potentially tampered seat belt

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Incident follows backlash over new regulations requiring passengers travelling on public or private buses to wear seat belts where available

Incident follows backlash over new regulations requiring passengers travelling on public or private buses to wear seat belts where available