The presidential candidates of three major parties in Taiwan, Hon Hai Precision Industry Co (鴻海精密) founder Terry Gou (郭台銘) and other parties yesterday signed a pledge to support and work toward “zero pedestrian deaths” by 2040 at a rally in Taipei.
The rally, called “Stop Killing Pedestrians,” was organized by civic group Vision Zero to urge the government to address the risks that pedestrians face in Taiwan, where more than 3,000 people die in traffic accidents every year.
Although the rally was disrupted by a sudden downpour yesterday afternoon, hundreds of people attended.
Photo: Lo Pei-de, Taipei Times
Chao Chia-ling (趙家麟), a professor of landscape architecture at Chung Yuan Christian University who has been raising awareness about pedestrian safety for more than 20 years, said the event was organized entirely by concerned citizens.
“I was surprised that a rally for the same cause that was held in Kaohsiung on July 22 was organized by high-school students,” Chao said. “I have been talking for more than 20 years and I was very frustrated, but now we have hope. All we want is for our children, and even our children’s children, to live safely in urban areas.”
Vision Zero presented its key appeals to the government, which included comprehensive facilities for pedestrians, new motor vehicle license tests, cracking down on motorists who do not yield for pedestrians and passing the draft transportation safety basic act.
Photo: Fang Pin-chao, Taipei Times
“We urge the government to listen to our appeals, show determination to change the transportation environment and fulfill the vision of ‘zero pedestrian deaths,’” Vision Zero said.
The number of pedestrian deaths should be halved by 2030, the group said.
Gou said he was nearly hit by large vehicles twice in the past six months when he was walking at night.
Photo: Fang Pin-chao, Taipei Times
Drivers need to stop, look and listen to ensure the safety of pedestrians, he said.
Representatives of Taiwan’s political parties all signed to support Vision Zero’s appeals.
Vice President William Lai (賴清德), the Democratic Progressive Party’s presidential candidate, vowed to thoroughly enforce the draft road transportation safety basic act and work with opposition parties and local government officials to improve safety at the 600 intersections where accidents most often occur in Taiwan.
Photo: Fang Pin-chao, Taipei Times
“I also support the cause of reducing pedestrian deaths by 50 percent by 2030 and reaching the goal of ‘zero pedestrian deaths’ by 2040,” Lai said.
New Taipei City Mayor Ho You-yi (侯友宜), the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) presidential candidate, said that Taiwan’s transportation safety issues need to be tackled by changing regulations and urban design plans.
“The lack of adequate separation between pedestrians and vehicles has caused chaos on the roads. We pledge to fulfill the appeals and conduct a thorough review of traffic signals, signage and demarcations around the country,” he said.
Photo: Fang Pin-chao, Taipei Times
Taiwan’s People Party Chairman and presidential candidate Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) said that Japan has a population five times larger than that of Taiwan, and yet Taiwan’s traffic-related deaths are five times higher than Japan’s.
“The current administration seems to think the way to address the road safety issues is to spend tons of money. However, it has generated only limited effects,” Ko said. “They should really look at numbers and address the fundamental issues.”
New Power Party Chairwoman Claire Wang (王婉諭) said the increase in pedestrian deaths was the result of the negligence of President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) administration.
“Vice President Lai should consider the consequences of having subscribed to wrong solutions ... and refusing to change policies in the past seven years,” she said.
Minister of Transportation and Communications Wang Kwo-tsai (王國材) was booed while walking onto the stage to address the rally.
He said it is his responsibility to create a safe transportation environment, and bowed and apologized for past shortcomings.
“I will respond to each and every appeal, and incorporate them into transportation safety policy. The draft road transportation safety basic act will address relevant issues from the Cabinet level and clearly lists the responsibilities of the central government,” he said.
One of two tropical depressions that formed off Taiwan yesterday morning could turn into a moderate typhoon by the weekend, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. Tropical Depression No. 21 formed at 8am about 1,850km off the southeast coast, CWA forecaster Lee Meng-hsuan (李孟軒) said. The weather system is expected to move northwest as it builds momentum, possibly intensifying this weekend into a typhoon, which would be called Mitag, Lee said. The radius of the storm is expected to reach almost 200km, she said. It is forecast to approach the southeast of Taiwan on Monday next week and pass through the Bashi Channel
WARNING: People in coastal areas need to beware of heavy swells and strong winds, and those in mountainous areas should brace for heavy rain, the CWA said The Central Weather Administration (CWA) yesterday issued sea and land warnings for Typhoon Ragasa, forecasting that it would continue to intensify and affect the nation the most today and tomorrow. People in Hualien and Taitung counties, and mountainous areas in Yilan and Pingtung counties, should brace for damage caused by extremely heavy rain brought by the typhoon’s outer rim, as it was upgraded to a super typhoon yesterday morning, the CWA said. As of 5:30pm yesterday, the storm’s center was about 630km southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost tip, moving northwest at 21kph, and its maximum wind speed had reached
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) yesterday said that it expected to issue a sea warning for Typhoon Ragasa this morning and a land warning at night as it approached Taiwan. Ragasa intensified from a tropical storm into a typhoon at 8am yesterday, the CWA said, adding that at 2pm, it was about 1,110km east-southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost tip. The typhoon was moving northwest at 13kph, with sustained winds of up to 119kph and gusts reaching 155kph, the CWA Web site showed. Forecaster Liu Pei-teng (劉沛滕) said that Ragasa was projected to strengthen as it neared the Bashi Channel, with its 200km
PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENTS: Hualien and Taitung counties declared today a typhoon day, while schools and offices in parts of Kaohsiung and Pingtung counties are also to close Typhoon Ragasa was forecast to hit its peak strength and come closest to Taiwan from yesterday afternoon through today, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Taiwan proper could be out of the typhoon’s radius by midday and the sea warning might be lifted tonight, it added. CWA senior weather specialist Wu Wan-hua (伍婉華) said that Ragasa’s radius had reached the Hengchun Peninsula by 11am yesterday and was expected to hit Taitung County and Kaohsiung by yesterday evening. Ragasa was forecast to move to Taiwan’s southern offshore areas last night and to its southwestern offshore areas early today, she added. As of 8pm last night,
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