Few issues unite residents and foreign visitors more than the conviction that Taiwan’s roads are dangerous. Scooters weaving between cars, buses edging into crosswalks and pedestrians dodging vehicles in poorly designed intersections are part of everyday life. The consequences are tragic: Taiwan records thousands of deaths and hundreds of thousands of injuries each year, far more than in most advanced economies.
This grim reality was recently highlighted by a report from a Berlin-based news wire agency, which compared Taiwan’s annual traffic fatalities to the Sept. 11, 2011 terrorist attacks in the US. The report described Taiwan as a “living hell for pedestrians” and warned potential visitors to “think twice” before coming. The sharpness of this criticism might be uncomfortable, yet it echoes what many residents already recognize: Walking on Taiwan’s streets too often feels like entering a danger zone.
The Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) swiftly rejected the report, saying that reforms are under way and progress can be seen in reduced pedestrian and drunk-driving deaths. Officials also emphasized Taiwan’s hospitality and natural beauty, rightly saying that foreign media sometimes exaggerate. Yet denial is not a strategy. Taiwan cannot afford to dismiss international criticism when its road safety record undermines public trust and its global image.
The heart of the matter is not simply reckless driving. It is structural: Outdated road infrastructure, weak enforcement of rules and the dominance of scooters in crowded urban spaces. Piecemeal reforms — such as revising elderly driver regulations after high-profile tragedies — cannot solve a systemic problem. What Taiwan needs is bold innovation.
Artificial intelligence (AI) offers a unique opportunity. It is already transforming road safety in many countries. For example, in South Korea, AI-enhanced cameras are used to detect traffic contraventions and adjust traffic signals. Singapore is using AI at crosswalks to extend green lights for older adults and children, while the Netherlands is using AI to monitor speeding and sudden lane changes, alerting authorities in real time.
Taiwan, a global leader in digital technology, is well placed to adopt similar tools. The country has already experimented with AI-based solutions: In 2020, drones and AI were combined to identify incident-prone intersections. Last year, trials in Taichung showed that an AI image-recognition system reduced traffic incidents by nearly 40 percent, with a 96 percent accuracy rate in detecting contraventions.
Imagine a Taiwan where AI predicts traffic incident hot spots, dynamically reroutes vehicles during holiday peaks, and can coordinate ambulances, police and road crews. Smart geofencing would keep vehicles out of pedestrian-only zones, while insurers could employ AI-driven telematics to reward safer driving habits.
However, technology alone would not suffice. AI must be deployed transparently, with safeguards for privacy and civil liberties. It must also be paired with consistent enforcement and driver education. Without these, AI risks becoming just another gadget in a system already overloaded with under-enforced rules.
Taiwan has the talent, technology and urgency to act. Just as it has led in public health, digital innovation and the COVID-19 pandemic response, it can become a regional model for AI-powered road safety.
The tools exist. However, what remains is political will. Every life saved would be proof that technology, when used wisely, is not just about growth or industry — it is about protecting people where it matters most: in the streets they walk, ride and live.
Vincent Rollet is a professor at the Graduate Institute of European Studies, Wenzao Ursuline University, Kaohsiung.
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