A P plate convertible overturned in Tai Wai early Thursday after the driver apparently lost control while making a left turn onto Mei Tin Road, damaging several metres of roadside railing.
The crash occurred around midnight as the vehicle was travelling along Chik Wan Street before turning left towards Mei Tin Road. According to the initial account, the car mounted the central divider during the turn and overturned.
The vehicle came to rest after flipping over, while around three metres of railing was damaged in the incident.
The driver, a man in his 20s, managed to climb out of the overturned vehicle without assistance. Emergency personnel found him conscious at the scene, although he had sustained minor injuries.
He was taken to hospital for medical treatment. There were no reports in the initial account of other people being seriously injured.
Crash occurred during turn
The circumstances surrounding the collision remained under investigation on Thursday. Police are expected to examine the driver's movements, the condition of the road and vehicle, and other factors that could have contributed to the crash.
The initial description indicates that the vehicle was negotiating a left hand turn when it mounted the central divider. The impact with the divider appears to have preceded the rollover and damage to the roadside railing.
A vehicle overturning on a built up road can create additional risks for motorists and pedestrians, particularly around the time of the incident when emergency crews and police need to secure the area.
The damaged railing also indicates that the vehicle travelled beyond the normal path of the turn before coming to rest. Investigators will determine whether excessive speed, a loss of steering control, road conditions or another factor played a role.
No conclusion about the cause of the crash has been made by police.
P plate restrictions in Hong Kong
The vehicle was being driven by a P plate driver, a motorist subject to probationary driving restrictions.
Newly licensed drivers in Hong Kong are required to display a probationary driving plate during the relevant period. The restrictions are intended to identify drivers who are still within their probationary period and subject to additional requirements.
One of the restrictions cited in connection with P plate drivers is a speed limit below 70km/h. The requirement means probationary drivers must observe the applicable lower speed restriction even on roads where the normal speed limit may be higher.
Speed is not, however, the only factor that police consider when investigating a collision. The position of the vehicle, the driver's actions, road layout, traffic conditions and the condition of the car can all become relevant to determining what happened.
In this case, police have not said that speeding caused the Tai Wai crash.
Investigation continues
The accident is now being investigated as police work to establish how the convertible left its intended path and overturned.
The damaged central divider and roughly three metres of railing will form part of the physical evidence from the scene. Investigators may also examine the vehicle for signs of mechanical problems and assess the road markings and layout at the point where the crash occurred.
The driver's account may also help establish what happened immediately before the vehicle mounted the divider.
For now, the confirmed outcome is that the young driver survived the rollover with minor injuries and was transported to hospital. The crash left damaged roadside infrastructure behind and prompted a police investigation into its cause.
Police have not announced any finding that the driver was speeding or otherwise breached the conditions attached to his P plate status.
The investigation will determine whether the loss of control resulted from driver error, road conditions, a mechanical issue or another circumstance.
For motorists approaching the Chik Wan Street and Mei Tin Road area, the incident also illustrates the importance of maintaining control through turns and complying with the restrictions that apply to probationary drivers. Any further findings from police will establish the circumstances that led the convertible to overturn.