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Wanted: better drivers and traffic cops

Recently, a colleague brought me towels, a local custom here for showing gratitude for money offered to a bereaved family. He was once again overwhelmed with grief when discussing his bereavement: his mother had been killed on the spot by a tour bus running a red light.

It was the bus driver's second accident and his previous case had not yet been settled. The traffic police who handled the accident had wanted simply to close the case as soon as possible. The photos taken at the scene had still not been developed, even though a coroner had been urgently asking for them for three or four days.

In the past three years, the parents of three of my colleagues have died in traffic accidents. When will Taiwan's traffic start to improve? Besides bad drivers, who else should be held responsible? Local traffic authorities in charge of traffic planning and construction? The Offices of Motor Vehicle Inspection? The traffic police?

Of course, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications cannot shirk its responsibility. But for the moment let's forget the ministry.

I used to study in the US and I learned to drive there. In more than seven years of driving there, I never ran a single red light. Even coming across an empty crossroad around midnight, I would still wait for the traffic light to turn green before going. At that time, I felt proud of myself for adopting the law-abiding spirit of Americans.

After returning to Taiwan, I was really scared to drive in the first few months. I later gritted my teeth and hit the road again in order to pick up my wife at the airport. All of a sudden, I realized that driving in Taiwan was not really so difficult. All it takes is a moment of revelation and a swift change in attitude.

Deference to others on the road is a feature of driving in the US; in Taiwan, the instinct is to "wrangle for first place." Having made the conceptual shift, driving in the bumper-to-bumper traffic of Taiwan can appear a piece of cake. Naturally, it is also the reason why Taiwan has more traffic accidents.

What is worse, I have started running red lights. To do this, I often stop my car first to check whether there are any people or cars coming. Then, I run "carefully" through the red light at night when there is less traffic. Traffic lights are spaced at 100 to 200m, or even 20 to 30m intervals -- a strange but common streetscape in Taiwan's many cities. Many cities fail to make good use of the "stop" sign. In fact, many drivers in Taiwan lack driver education. Even if a "stop" sign is installed, they don't "stop first and then drive."

I have come to realize that whether we observe the rules of the road is definitely affected by our traffic facilities and environment. I wasn't always a particularly law-abiding person. It was the more sensible traffic system in the US that made me observe the law. "Stop" signs are used and there are fewer traffic lights. Moreover, "smart" traffic lights are installed at intersections with light traffic. The lights change according to pedestrian activities and the volume of traffic.

Who, then, should be responsible for educating drivers? The task will probably fall on the shoulders of the Offices of Motor Vehicle Inspection. I think reinforcing the right concepts of driving is essential for those who are just starting their training. In addition, strict law enforcement by traffic police is crucial.

Ever since my return to Taiwan, I have found major flaws in the driving habits of local people. First of all, many drivers fail to use a turn signal either when turning or when changing lanes. Traffic police should crack down on such violations, just as they do on turning right during a red light and running red lights. Such violations have resulted in many traffic accidents in Taiwan.

Second, double-parking or driving into oncoming traffic without using flashers or turn signals. These acts make it difficult for other drivers to respond in time to the situation. Motorists should always be alert to prevent accidents. Warning signals should be in use during any kind of abnormal driving or parking.

Third, driving without headlights in windy or rainy weather. Drivers who do this ignore the fact that it is important to alert other drivers and pedestrians to their presence. If headlights are turned on in windy or rainy weather, the number of accidents will probably be cut in half! It is now quite common in the US and in European countries to turn on headlights even during good weather -- clearly as a means of increasing visibility and preventing traffic accidents.

Eradicating bad driving habits and traffic violations is the responsibility of traffic police. It is well-known, however, that the police often pick the easiest jobs to do. For example, they hide on the righthand corner of streets to catch people making illegal right turns on a red light. Or they go after motorcyclists who are not wearing safety helmets or track cars speeding on freeways. They seem to care more about fines than preventing accidents.

Why don't the police track cars speeding on regular highways? Why not catch gravel trucks and tour buses violating traffic regulations? Why not catch those who make right turns without sig-naling? Why not catch those who zigzag down the street?

The reasons are simple: to avoid the trouble and the difficulty of proving the violations. When an accident occurs, police invariably try to persuade both sides to work out a settlement, in order to close the case as soon as possible. Recently I was knocked down by a car driving the wrong way, against the traffic. But the police did not give the driver a ticket.

Irresponsible traffic police are a major factor behind bad driving in Taiwan.

Local traffic planning and construction authorities, the Office of Motor Vehicle Inspection and the traffic police are the three responsible authorities and they are closely linked to one another. With good cooperation among them, Taiwan's traffic will gradually improve.

Ting Lee-hwa is the mechanical engineering section head of the National Space Program Office at the National Science Council.

Translated by Lise Chen
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