At least three people died and more than a dozen were injured yesterday afternoon when a vehicle struck a group of pedestrians in New Taipei City’s Sansia District (三峽).
The incident happened at about 4pm when a car rammed into pedestrians at an intersection near Bei Da Elementary School.
Witnesses said the sedan, being driven at a high speed, ran a red light, knocking scooters out of the way and hitting students crossing the road before careening into a median near the intersection of Guocheng and Guoguang streets.
Photo: CNA
The incident resulted in three deaths and 13 injuries, including the driver, a 78-year-old man surnamed Yu (余), the New Taipei City Education Department said.
Of the three people who died, two were female students in their teens and the other was a woman in her 40s, local police and fire officials said.
Others were being treated for a variety of injuries, including broken bones and lacerations, area hospitals said.
Photo: Wu Jen-chieh, Taipei Times
Law enforcement authorities are investigating the crash, adding that a preliminary investigation suggested that Yu was not driving under the influence of alcohol.
The Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) said it has set up two emergency operation centers.
Minister of Transportation and Communications Chen Shih-kai (陳世凱) said one emergency operation center was established at the headquarters of the Highway Bureau in Taipei and the other was set up in the Taipei Motor Vehicles Office.
Chen will supervise the emergency operation centers all day today to deal with the aftermath of the accident and cancel his original schedule, the MOTC said.
The MOTC said Yu passed a test designated for seniors to get his license renewed on Feb. 20 and his new license is valid until Feb, 19, 2028.
Yu’s car was rolled out in March 2003 and its next road worthiness inspection is scheduled for Sept. 30, it said. Yu bought mandatory insurance for the car, which expires on April 29, 2026, according to the ministry.
The MOTC added it will help the New Taipei City government to determine the cause of the accident.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health and Welfare said it has confirmed with the city government that first aid medical resources in the city are sufficient to take care of those injured in the accident, while the ministry will set up a communication platform in a bid to provide necessary assistance to the city’s health department.
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