As the nation welcomes in the New Year, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications reminded drivers to drive rationally and watch the speed limit during the holiday.
The National Police Agency said the peak season for drunk driving incidents generally happens between November and next month when people attend events such as holiday parties and year-end banquets.
Data from the agency showed that the nation had a total of 110 traffic collisions caused by drunk driving between Dec. 30, 2013, and Jan. 2, last year, killing two people and injuring 135.
Overall, 145 people died in drunk driving incidents between January and November last year, registering a 33 percent decrease over the same period the previous year.
Meanwhile, 71 people died and 2,882 were injured in collisions caused by speeding in the same period, the data showed.
Road Safety Committee executive secretary Hsieh Chieh-tien (謝界田) said that the number of people killed within 24 hours of an accident dropped by 6 percent compared with the same period in 2013, which exceeded the goal the agency set for itself.
The number of people injured in such accidents increased by about 10,000, which is also the lowest increase in the past several years, Hsieh added.
Hsieh said that the committee plans to work alongside the Ministry of Education to enhance road safety education at all school levels, as one-third of traffic fatalities are people in the 18-to-24 age group.
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