The two bus companies involved in a fatal crash yesterday in Taipei would each be fined NT$90,000, the Taipei Public Transportation Office said today, as the drivers were released on bail after questioning by prosecutors.
The drivers, a 23-year-old woman surnamed Hsieh (謝) and a 54-year-old surnamed Chen (陳), were questioned by prosecutors yesterday on suspicion of negligent homicide, the Taipei Police Department said.
They were released on bail of NT$300,000 and NT$100,000 respectively.
Photo copied by Wang Kuan-jen, Taipei Times
Police received a call at about 9am about a rear-end collision involving two city buses and a taxi in front of the Sheraton Grand Taipei Hotel in Zhongzheng District (中正), in which a pedestrian had been trapped under a bus.
Police said the accident is believed to have occurred when a Route 49 city bus driven by Chen making a right turn from Zhongxiao E Road onto Zhenjiang Street stopped to allow pedestrians to cross the street.
As the first bus stopped, a Route 312 city bus behind it driven by Hsieh rear-ended the first bus, causing it to lurch forward and hit a pedestrian as well as a taxi stopped at a red light, police said.
The pedestrian, a 50-year-old woman, later died from injuries sustained in the accident at National Taiwan University Hospital.
Fifteen others, including Chen and eight Thai tourists, were injured.
Since both drivers were transferred to prosecutors, the office said it would fine Metropolitan Transport Corp (MTC) and CitiAir Bus Co each the maximum NT$90,000 permitted under the Highway Act (公路法).
They have also been asked to bear liability for compensation, and would be asked to submit improvement plans after reviewing the causes of the accident, it added.
MTC in a news release said that liability for the accident is still under investigation, but vowed to compensate medical bills and related expenses for those injured in the accident, and expressed condolences to the family of the deceased.
Chen has been driving for the company for 13 years with an excellent record, it said, adding that he has in recent years never exceeded an eight-hour workday and had a day off the day before the accident.
Hsieh obtained a bus driving license in January and started working for CitiAir Bus in February.
According to the on-site police investigation, she had a zero blood alcohol concentration and the employer was asked to take a drug test for the driver suspected of causing the accident, the office said yesterday.
The other drivers involved in the collision also passed on-site breathalyzers, police said.
Hsieh last took a day off on Friday and had not worked overtime in recent days, the office said.
There was one accident on Hsieh's driving record from August, but she has no recorded traffic violations, the office said.
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