Macau recently faced tragic news with the death of a child on a pedestrian crossing. Once again, the incident served as a warning about the need for various road safety improvements, including changes to pedestrian crossings. These are proposals that I submitted to the government as early as 2024 while serving on the Central District Community Services Consultative Council, and which were reported on several occasions by the media, yet without any concrete developments.
From sensors and flashing lights at pedestrian crossings to repeated calls for greater road safety awareness in schools and stricter attention to speeding—often caused by drivers themselves—these concerns have been raised time and again. What has changed in 2026? Almost nothing.
We continue to deal with distracted drivers, including taxi drivers, with two or more mobile phones visible on their dashboards, or watching concerts and cartoons while driving. Pedestrians are no exception. How often do we see people standing hesitantly at crosswalks, crossing the road while staring at their phones?
Another worrying factor is the presence of reckless drivers and the lack of enforcement against motorists who drive at night with their high beams on, creating hazards for other road users. We also have delivery riders on Mfood scooters who, in addition to speeding, regularly commit traffic violations, particularly by crossing solid lines or weaving through traffic. On top of that, there are drivers from mainland China and Hong Kong who are unfamiliar with Macau’s traffic rules, resulting in further violations and generating countless complaints on social media and in public discussions.
There is, therefore, a range of real problems that go far beyond suggestions to install a few new lights or speed bumps at pedestrian crossings.
As a citizen, I would also like to once again ask when a better parking meter system will be introduced. These meters still do not allow payment through MPay or Simple Pay, an issue that was also raised in 2023 at the same consultative council after the Transport Bureau (DSAT) removed the option of coin payments, leaving residents with an outdated and inconvenient system for years.
In other words, virtually everything remains the same. And while discussions about amendments to the road traffic law continue, the “traffic jungle” remains a reality in Macau, where enforcement and the application of laws or fines seem to become a priority only after yet another fatal accident.
