The Taipei City Government is offering subsidies of NT$1,300 for scooter driving lessons in a bid to lower accident rates.
The Taipei Department of Transportation said that the policy, which would not be limited to city residents, was due to a high rate of scooter accidents.
In addition, those who pass the exam at one of the six city-approved training facilities would not need to pay fees for roadside parking for one month, to encourage people testing for their license to do so at driving education facilities, the Taipei Parking Management and Development Office said.
Photo: CNA
Last year, scooter accidents comprised 28,000 out of 33,000 A2-type incidents in the city, defined as causing injury, or people involved passing away after 24 hours, the department said.
There were 62 A1-type incidents recorded — a category defined as causing a person to pass away within 24 hours — of which 35, or more than 20 percent, involved scooters, it said.
Accident rates for those attending scooter safety classes were 1.96 percent, compared with 4.88 percent for those who tested without taking the course, the department’s statistics showed.
Traffic Division Director Yeh Chih-hung (葉志宏) said that the Directorate-General of Highways has approved subsidies for 2,050 applicants, but the Taipei City Government would also provide funding and would accept all applications.
People who are eligible for the subsides should apply before Dec. 8, Yeh said.
The Taipei City Government is adding the Huafeng, Binjiang and Dahu driver education facilities to the list of government-approved facilities, Yeh added.
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