A collaborative one-month project by the Ministry of Transportation and Communications and the National Police Agency (NPA) is to commence next month in hopes of reducing traffic accident rates.
Starting on Sept. 1, automobiles and scooters failing to yield the right of way to pedestrians at crossings or when turning are to be fined between NT$1,200 and NT$3,600 (US$41 and US$122), while vehicles running red lights are to be fined between NT$1,800 and NT$5,400, the NPA said.
Vehicles illegally turning right on a red light are to be fined between NT$600 and NT$1,800, while pedestrians failing to observe pedestrian crossings or jaywalking are to be fined NT$300, it said.
Photo: Hsieh Chieh-yu,Taipei Times
If a vehicle proceeds over a crossing within 3m, or one lane, of a pedestrian, it would be considered not yielding, NPA Traffic Division chief Wang Feng-hui (王鳳輝) said.
Vehicles failing to yield the right of way when instructed to do so by a police officer would be considered a violation, he said, adding that if a vehicle is directed to pull over after failing to yield to pedestrians and ignores it, it would also be considered a violation.
NPA statistics showed that the number of incidents of vehicles failing to yield to pedestrians is on the rise — from 879,698 in 2015 to 1.38 million last year, and 779,110 in the first half of this year.
While the NPA is stepping up regulation enforcement, there is still a long way to go for the public to learn to obey the law, Wang said.
The number of fatalities occurring within 30 days of a traffic accident was 2,865 last year, rising by 85, or 3.1 percent, from 2018, the ministry’s Road Safety Committee Executive Secretary Hsieh Ming-hung (謝銘鴻) said.
Overall pedestrian injury and fatality rates rose to 458 last year, from 381 in 2017, while pedestrian injury and fatality rates at crossroads and intersections climbed to 209 last year, from 179 in 2017.
The safety of pedestrians must be guaranteed as they comprise the largest group of those using the roads, which is the impetus for the project, Hsieh said.
Armed with a budget of NT$804 million, the ministry said it would work with the Construction and Planning Agency to improve 2,680 intersections and crossings across the nation over the next four years.
Road safety is paramount as Taiwan is rapidly becoming an aging society, with elderly people comprising seven out of every 10 pedestrian fatalities, it said, encouraging local governments to create elderly-friendly environments, such as more sidewalks, increased number of pedestrian crossing lights and shorter crossings.
Aftershocks from a magnitude 6.2 earthquake that struck off Yilan County at 3:45pm yesterday could reach a magnitude of 5 to 5.5, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Seismological Center technical officer Chiu Chun-ta (邱俊達) told a news conference that the epicenter of the temblor was more than 100km from Taiwan. Although predicted to measure between magnitude 5 and 5.5, the aftershocks would reach an intensity of 1 on Taiwan’s 7-tier scale, which gauges the actual effect of an earthquake, he said. The earthquake lasted longer in Taipei because the city is in a basin, he said. The quake’s epicenter was about 128.9km east-southeast
GENSLER SURVEY: ‘Economic infrastructure is not enough. A city needs to inspire pride, offer moments of joy and foster a sense of belonging,’ the company said Taipei was named the city with the “highest staying power” in the world by US-based design and architecture firm Gensler. The Taiwanese capital earned the top spot among 65 cities across six continents with 64 percent of Taipei respondents in a survey of 33,000 people saying they wanted to stay in the city. Rounding out the top five were Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City (61 percent), Singapore (59 percent), Sydney (58 percent) and Berlin (51 percent). Sixth to 10th place went to Monterrey, Mexico; Munich, Germany; Sao Paulo, Brazil; Vancouver; and Seoul. Cities in the US were ranked separately, with Minneapolis first at
The New Taipei City Government today warned about the often-overlooked dangers of playing in water, and recommended safe swimming destinations to cool off from the summer heat. The following locations in the city as safe and fun for those looking to enjoy the water: Chienshuiwan (淺水灣), Baishawan (白沙灣), Jhongjiao Bay (中角灣), Fulong Beach Resort (福隆海水浴場) and Sansia District’s (三峽) Dabao River (大豹溪), New Taipei City Tourism and Travel Department Director-General Yang Tsung-min (楊宗珉) said. Outdoor bodies of water have variables outside of human control, such as changing currents, differing elevations and environmental hazards, all of which can lead to accidents, Yang said. Sudden
Tropical Storm Podul has formed over waters north-northeast of Guam and is expected to approach the seas southeast of Taiwan next week, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said today. The 11th Pacific storm of the year developed at 2am over waters about 2,660km east of Oluanpi (歐鑾鼻), Pingtung County — Taiwan's southernmost tip. It is projected to move westward and could have its most significant impact on Taiwan on Wednesday and Thursday next week, the CWA said. The agency did not rule out the possibility of issuing a sea warning at that time. According to the CWA's latest update, Podul is drifting west-northwest
RSS