Several commercial drivers’ groups protested outside the Ministry of Transportation and Communications yesterday, voicing opposition to a proposed increase in fines for motorists who fail to yield to pedestrians, and calling for stricter penalties on pedestrians who engage in dangerous behavior.
Dozens of drivers parked their cars around the block near the ministry, and held a news conference in front of the ministry building.
Under the ministry’s proposed amendments to the rules governing the issuance of fines for traffic contraventions, motorists who fail to yield at pedestrian crossings or intersections, resulting in minor injuries, would face fines of between NT$18,000 and NT$30,000, up from the current NT$7,200 to NT$12,000.
Photo: Lo Pei-de, Taipei Times
If the contravention leads to serious injuries, the fine would rise to NT$36,000, compared with the current range of NT$18,000 to NT$30,000.
Drivers would be fined NT$36,000 if their failure to yield results in a pedestrian’s death, which is unchanged from the current regulations.
The proposed amendments have been made available for public review and are scheduled to take effect next month.
National Automobile Driver’s Rights Alliance president Liu Hong-chang (劉鴻樟) said the voices of drivers should also be listened to.
“Pedestrians who cross the street when the signal is red, or who fail to pay attention while using pedestrian crossings, should not be fined merely a few hundred dollars,” he said.
“Compared with the penalties imposed on drivers, fines for misbehaving pedestrians are disproportionately low. This stark disparity in punishment would lead to frequent conflicts between pedestrians and drivers,” he added.
The protesters also called for pedestrians who do not follow traffic signals while crossing the street to be fined NT$18,000, the same as drivers.
Police should be deployed at key intersections to enforce the rules and deter reckless pedestrians, they said, adding that traffic signals should be redesigned to better separate vehicle and pedestrian flow to improve overall safety.
In response to the demands, Department of Public Transportation and Supervision Director-General Lin Fu-shan (林福山) said the proposed amendments mainly focus on cases in which pedestrians are injured or killed due to drivers failing to yield.
“The purpose of imposing heavier fines on drivers is so they would see protecting pedestrians as their top priority,” Lin said.
“We would also step up safety awareness campaigns aimed at pedestrians,” he added.
Hong Kong singer Eason Chan’s (陳奕迅) concerts in Kaohsiung this weekend have been postponed after he was diagnosed with Covid-19 this morning, the organizer said today. Chan’s “FEAR and DREAMS” concert which was scheduled to be held in the coming three days at the Kaohsiung Arena would be rescheduled to May 29, 30 and 31, while the three shows scheduled over the next weekend, from May 23 to 25, would be held as usual, Universal Music said in a statement. Ticket holders can apply for a full refund or attend the postponed concerts with the same seating, the organizer said. Refund arrangements would
Former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) on Monday called for greater cooperation between Taiwan, Lithuania and the EU to counter threats to information security, including attacks on undersea cables and other critical infrastructure. In a speech at Vilnius University in the Lithuanian capital, Tsai highlighted recent incidents in which vital undersea cables — essential for cross-border data transmission — were severed in the Taiwan Strait and the Baltic Sea over the past year. Taiwanese authorities suspect Chinese sabotage in the incidents near Taiwan’s waters, while EU leaders have said Russia is the likely culprit behind similar breaches in the Baltic. “Taiwan and our European
Taiwanese indie band Sunset Rollercoaster and South Korean outfit Hyukoh collectively received the most nominations at this year’s Golden Melody Awards, earning a total of seven nods from the jury on Wednesday. The bands collaborated on their 2024 album AAA, which received nominations for best band, best album producer, best album design and best vocal album recording. “Young Man,” a single from the album, earned nominations for song of the year and best music video, while another track, “Antenna,” also received a best music video nomination. Late Hong Kong-American singer Khalil Fong (方大同) was named the jury award winner for his 2024 album
The US Department of State on Monday reaffirmed that US policy on Taiwan remains unchanged, following US President Donald Trump’s use of the term “unification” while commenting on recent trade talks with China. Speaking at a wide-ranging press conference, Trump described what he viewed as progress in trade negotiations with China held in Geneva, Switzerland, over the weekend. “They’ve agreed to open China — fully open China, and I think it’s going to be fantastic for China. I think it’s going to be fantastic for us,” Trump said. “I think it’s going to be great for unification and peace.” Trump’s use of the
RSS