The number of pedestrian deaths from January to September increased by 4 percent to 263 from the same period last year, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications said yesterday.
In the period, 2,084 people died in traffic accidents, down 83 people, or by 3.8 percent, the ministry said.
It said it is working to raise awareness of road-crossing safety for older adults, as elderly people accounted for more than half of pedestrian deaths at road sections.
Photo: Tsai Yun-jung, Taipei Times
Kaohsiung recorded the highest number of deaths within 30 days of an incident at 228, up 78 from the same period last year.
A total of 1,284 people died in incidents involving scooters, and 883 of the deaths were elderly people.
Compared with the same period last year, pedestrian deaths increased by 10 people, or 4 percent, while deaths from other causes were down 3.1 percent to 11.3 percent, the ministry said.
Pingtung, Yunlin and Chiayi were the top three counties by total pedestrian deaths per 100,000 population, averaging 15.47 to 18 deaths, it said.
Commenting on the increase of pedestrian deaths this year, Department of Railways, Highways and Road Safety Division Director-General Wu Tung-ling (吳東凌) said overall, the number of deaths was on the decline, and the numbers this year were a short-term fluctuation.
The ministry continues to work toward its goal of reducing traffic accident deaths by 7 percent annually, Wu said.
Elderly people had the highest mortality rate for road section accidents, accounting for 55.6 percent, with the top three causes being failure to follow signage, inappropriate driving behavior, and being distracted or nervous, he said.
Separately, Deputy Minister of Transportation and Communications Chen Yen-po (陳彥伯) said the Highway Bureau is implementing a project to improve road lighting by adopting warmer yellow lights and brighter white lights at crossings and intersections.
The policy aims to help remind drivers to be more alert when approaching crossings, Chen said, adding that the ministry has completed renovations at 275 crossings as of the end of last month.
The ministry hopes to complete another 15 by the end of the year, with a target of 200 renovations by the end of next year, Chen added.
Average nighttime accident rates at the 177 crossings where renovations had been made have dropped from 1167 in 2023 to 8.87 per month from January to August, he added.
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