Mr Lau’s legs were crushed after the truck driver reversed into him – he never regained consciousness and died in hospital less than 40 minutes later

A 71-year-old man who needed crutches to walk was killed yesterday afternoon after a truck driver reversed into him and ran over his leg outside a Ma On Shan estate.

Victim Mr Lau was walking outside Fu On Garden at 1:51pm when driver Mr Cheng, 42, tried to reverse his delivery truck into a truck parking space. Cheng ran over the man and crushed his leg ­­­­­­– eye witnesses say the truck driver did not notice he had hit the man and that they needed to bang on the side of the truck to stop.

Lau was trapped under the truck and freed by fire crews. He was rushed to Prince of Wales Hospital with severe leg injuries, unconscious, and was certified dead at 2:28pm.

Police arrested driver Cheng for dangerous driving causing death.

“Police strongly condemn the irresponsible driving behavior [sic] of the driver,” said a police statement.

Experts have long complained about the lack of safety systems on Hong Kong’s trucks – features such as radar which are legal requirements in European countries are optional in Hong Kong and rarely fitted.

Meanwhile Transport Department says it will use upcoming legislative sessions to push for seven new laws on road safety, including adding sound effects to “quiet” electric vehicles and allowing luxury cars to be able to “auto park” without driver involvement.