The Taipei City Government Motor Vehicles Office’s new Center for Education and Driving Safety in Shihlin (士林) offers free safety classes for drivers and cyclists.
The new facility, which opened earlier this month on Chengde Road, offers classes every Wednesday ranging from bicycling skills for beginners and defensive techniques for motorists to driving lessons for senior citizens and a course for drivers who are afraid of driving on local streets, said Tsai Hsi-chen (蔡錫琛), coordinator at the office.
Tsai said the office sought to educate drivers about correct driving concepts through free courses and seminars. The center, which is also used as a driving site for licensing tests, is equipped with standard driveways and professional staff for the free classes, he said.
Department of Transportation statistics show that scooter accidents account for more than 75 percent of traffic accidents in Taipei. The department expects the courses will help reduce the number of scooter-related accidents, Tsai said.
The department also hopes the center will improve bicycle safety as the number of cyclists has increased significantly in recent years.
In another attempt to protect cyclists, the department is constructing a 2m-wide bicycle lane on Dunhua N and S roads that will connect Taipei Songshan Airport, Taipei Dome, and the Gongguan area. The section between Minquan E Road and Minsheng E Road was opened on Friday
More information on the free driving lessons and other classes can be obtained by calling the center at (02) 2831-4155, ext. 300, or visiting the center’s Web site at www.mvo.taipei.gov.tw.
Palauan President Surangel Whipps Jr arrived in Taiwan last night to kick off his first visit to the country since beginning his second term earlier this year. After arriving at Taoyuan International Airport at around 6:30 pm, Whipps and his delegation were welcomed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍). Speaking to gathered media, the Palauan leader said he was excited and honored to be back in Taiwan on his first state visit to Taiwan since he was sworn in this January. Among those traveling with Whipps is Minister of State Gustav N. Aitaro, Public Infrastructure
President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday thanked Palau for its continued support of Taiwan's international participation, as Taipei was once again excluded from the World Health Assembly (WHA) currently taking place in Switzerland. "Palau has never stopped voicing support for Taiwan" in the UN General Assembly, the WHO and other UN-affiliated agencies, Lai said during a bilateral meeting with visiting Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr. "We have been profoundly touched by these endorsements," Lai said, praising the Pacific island nation's firm support as "courageous." Lai's remarks came as Taiwan was excluded for the ninth consecutive year from the WHA, which is being held in
RESOLUTIONS DEBATE: Taiwan’s allies said that UN and WHA resolutions cited by China and other nations ‘do not determine Taiwan’s participation in WHO activities’ A proposal to invite Taiwan to this year’s World Health Assembly (WHA) was rejected on Monday, resulting in Taipei’s absence from the annual meeting for a ninth consecutive year, although partners spoke up for Taiwan’s participation at the first day of the meeting. The first agenda item after the opening was a “two-on-two debate” on a proposal to invite Taiwan to participate at the WHA as an observer. Similar to previous years, two countries made statements in favor of the proposal, while two others expressed their opposition. Philippine Secretary of Health Teodoro Herbosa, president of the 78th WHA, accepted the WHA General Committee’s
At least three people died and more than a dozen were injured yesterday afternoon when a vehicle struck a group of pedestrians in New Taipei City’s Sansia District (三峽). The incident happened at about 4pm when a car rammed into pedestrians at an intersection near Bei Da Elementary School. Witnesses said the sedan, being driven at a high speed, ran a red light, knocking scooters out of the way and hitting students crossing the road before careening into a median near the intersection of Guocheng and Guoguang streets. The incident resulted in three deaths and 13 injuries, including the driver, a 78-year-old man