Hong Kong police arrest 24 drivers during 2-week crackdown triggered by surge in road deaths

Hong Kong police have arrested 24 drivers and issued over 4,000 tickets as part of a two-week crackdown on careless driving and jaywalking.

Cars in Hong Kong in June 2025. Photo: Kyle Lam/HKFP.

Police said in a statement on Monday that it deployed unmarked vehicles between June 5 to last Friday as part of operations codenamed “Clearview” and “Autobinder.”

The crackdowns were aimed at catching drivers engaged in dangerous driving behaviour, such as using their phones, speeding, tailgating or failing to obey traffic lights and road signs.

Officers issued 4,070 fixed penalty tickets and 153 summonses.

A total of 24 drivers were also arrested on suspected charges including drink-driving, driving under the influence of drugs and driving without a licence.

The operations, which also targeted jaywalking, saw pedestrians receiving 630 summonses and 367 warnings.

Increase in fatalities

Police first announced the two-week long operations in early June, in response to a spike in fatal traffic-related accidents in recent months.

Police officers at the site of a fatal traffic accident in Ngau Tau Kok on May 13, 2026. Photo: Supplied.

Police said there have been 51 deaths resulting from traffic accidents between the start of the year to the end of May, up more than 40 percent compared to the same period last year. Around half of the 51 victims were pedestrians.

The main causes of the accidents were pedestrians jaywalking and drivers not paying attention when driving, police said, adding that commercial vehicles were identified as the most common vehicle type involved in fatal incidents.

Police said in the Monday statement that they would continue cracking down on jaywalking and distracted driving to increase road safety awareness among drivers and pedestrians.

The maximum penalty for careless driving in Hong Kong is a HK$5,000 fine and six months’ imprisonment. Jaywalking carries a fine of up to HK$2,000.