The Taiwan Railway Administration announced yesterday that surveillance systems installed at the 10 most dangerous level crossings in Taiwan were activated yesterday in a bid to nab motorists and pedestrians who attempt to cross railway tracks while ignoring traffic signals.
Violators caught by the surveillance systems will be fined NT$12,000 (US$375). If the barriers are damaged, the administration is entitled to make an additional claim of NT$14,000 from the violators for each broken barrier.
The announcement came after the administration identified 10 level crossings around the country where accidents happened more frequently than others.
The crossing on Jinfu Road in Kaohsiung topped the list, with the average number of broken barriers per year reaching 96. It was followed by the crossings in Taohsiang Village (稻香) in Hualien County and Ilan County's Tungcheng Village (東城).
According to a report from the administration, 98 percent of the accidents occurring at level-crossings can be attributed to traffic violations by pedestrians as well as motorists.
Ten broken every day
An average of 3,700 barriers were damaged by motor vehicles each year from 2002 to last year, meaning that more than 10 barriers were broken every day.
The report further said that 18-wheelers or other large trucks account for the majority of damage to barriers. These vehicles, it said, could cause a serious accident were one to break down as it crosses the rail line or if it gets stuck on the railroad tracks during heavy traffic.
With the new surveillance equipment, the administration aims to reduce the number of incidents to below 50 percent of current levels.
The administration's deputy director-general, Chen Feng-nan (
The surveillance system will function around the clock, which will enable the administration to substantiate each claim it makes with photographic evidence.
Recently, the administration has switched barriers at the most dangerous level-crossings from bamboo sticks to fiber-reinforced plastics. Red and white reflection stickers are put on the barriers to remind pedestrians and motorists of the level-crossing ahead.
The fine set for damaging the barriers simply reflected the costs of a barrier's replacement and installation, the administration said.
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