Police say they've fined 1,700 jaywalkers in the past few weeks as part of a campaign aimed at cutting the number of fatal road accidents.

The force said on Thursday that there were 71 deaths on the city's roads in the first eight months of the year, a 30 percent increase on the same period last year.

Sixty percent of those killed were on foot when the accidents happened.

Police didn't say how many of the pedestrians killed had been jaywalking. But from the middle of August, officers started paying particular attention to the offence, issuing fines of up to HK$2,000 to those caught ignoring pedestrian lights or crossing roads where they shouldn't.

Meanwhile, more than 2,400 penalty tickets – also for up to HK$2,000 – were given to drivers ignoring road signs or using their mobiles behind the wheel, police said.

The Transport Department says motorists should always give way to pedestrians on the road and have a legal and moral responsibility not to hit them – even if they are jaywalking.