Taipei City’s Department of Police penalized 115 drivers who failed to yield to pedestrians last week, urging drivers to show courtesy to pedestrians.
The department is increasing the number of police stationed at 25 major intersections to clamp down on violators.
Director of the department’s traffic division Fang Yang-ning (方仰寧) said the division would send more traffic police to enforce the law at 25 selected intersections near department stores, schools, hospitals and markets where traffic is dense.
“Traffic police are required to stop scooters and cars to allow pedestrians to cross the street first. We will also reiterate this rule throughout the city so that more drivers respect pedestrians’ right of way,” he said at Taipei City Hall.
The Taipei City Government stepped up efforts to promote driver courtesy and penalize those who fail to yield to pedestrians last week after a retired diplomat was hit by a taxi on a street earlier this month and broke his arm.
Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) reiterated the city government’s determination to improve the situation yesterday in response to an article in the Straits Times, an English newspaper in Singapore, which highlighted the lack of consideration shown to pedestrians by Taiwanese drivers and motorcyclists.
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