The police yesterday began a program targeting drivers who fail to stop amid a rise in pedestrian deaths at intersections over the past few years.
The one-month campaign to enhance transportation safety at key intersections nationwide was launched by the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) and the Ministry of the Interior (MOI).
Statistics from the transportation ministry showed that 2,865 people died within 30 days after being in a traffic accident last year, up from 2,780 in 2018, MOTC Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) told a news conference in the Ximending (西門町) area’s 6th Square (6號廣場) in Taipei.
Photo: Chu Pei-hsiung, Taipei Times
Sixty percent of those killed were involved in accidents at intersections, Lin said.
The data showed that 458 pedestrians were killed in traffic accidents last year, of which 209 were at intersections, he said.
“Many of those killed were elderly pedestrians, who because of physical limitations are often slow to cross the street,” he said.
“Also, there is an increased rate of smartphone use while crossing and drivers are distracted by screens on their dashboards,” he said.
MOI Minister Hsu Kuo-yung (徐國勇) said that the purpose of the nationwide crackdown is to enhance road safety, and strict enforcement of the law and penalties are the only means to that end.
The police would continue to enforce traffic regulations once the one-month campaign is over, Hsu said.
Shortly after the ministers finished highlighting the urgency of improving road safety, a black van was rear-ended by a sedan nearby.
No injuries were immediately reported.
The National Police Agency said that officers would be deployed at major intersections across the nation.
They would focus on drivers and motorcyclists who do not yield to pedestrians, with fines ranging from NT$1,200 to NT$3,600, it said.
Motorists and riders who run red lights face fines of NT$1,800 to NT$5,400, while the sanctions are NT$600 to NT$1,800 for turning right on a red light. Pedestrians who do not use a crossing face NT$300 fines, it said.
Vehicles must remain at least 3m, about the width of a normal lane, from pedestrians on a crossing to be deemed to have yielded, the police agency said.
When officers are directing traffic, drivers and riders must comply with instructions to yield, it said.
Officers would stop vehicles that do not yield to pedestrians, inform the driver that they have contravened traffic regulations and impose a fine, it said.
If a vehicle does not stop, video footage would be used to issue penalties, it said.
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