Traffic fatalities increase with scooters in the lead

A total of 86,268 traffic accidents that resulted in injuries or death were recorded in the first six months of the year, a 5.3 percent increase from the same period last year, a report released yesterday by the Ministry of the Interior showed.

The figures translated into a year-on-year increase in the accident rate from 39.4 to 40.9 cases per 10,000 vehicles, the ministry said.

The ministry said that the increase reflected a 5.5 percent rise in the number of accidents that involved the injury of passengers or motorists with deaths occurring more than 24 hours after the accident.

However, the number of road users who died within 24 hours of an accident declined by 10 percent, the ministry said.

In that category, 19.7 percent of the fatalities were caused by drunk-driving, 17.7 percent as result of drivers not paying attention and 12.5 percent because of drivers’ failure to yield right of way as stipulated in traffic regulations, the report said.

The report said that two-wheeled vehicles were the most dangerous types of transport, because 43.6 percent of road fatalities involved riders of bicycles, motorcycles or scooters.

The road fatality rate involving cars was 27.3 percent and trucks 17.6 percent, the report showed.

The statistics showed that most fatal accidents — 11.36 percent — occurred between 6pm and 8pm, while 9.61 percent occurred between 6am and 8am, and 9.09 percent between 12pm and 2pm.

In terms of the areas where most fatal traffic accidents occured, Pingtung County was at the top of the list with 78 deaths in 77 accidents, followed by Tainan County with 76 deaths in 75 accidents and Taichung County with 72 deaths in 70 accidents, the report said.