A total of 264 people died in traffic incidents nationwide in January this year, a 9.5 percent increase from the same period last year, with 44 killed in incidents in New Taipei City, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications said yesterday.
The ministry attributed the nearly 10 percent increase to deaths in New Taipei City, which had 31 more fatalities than in the same time last year.
The nation’s most populous city, New Taipei City ranked first with an increase in traffic deaths involving motorcycles and elderly people compared with last year, rising by 17 and 10 people respectively.
Photo: CNA
Nationwide traffic deaths in January rose 23 from the same period last year, Highways and Road Safety Director-General Wu Tung-ling (吳東凌) said.
“Central and local government officials have been working hard to reduce traffic deaths. It was a pity that the efforts were offset by the issues in New Taipei City,” he said.
The ministry informed New Taipei City Government officials after compiling the data in January, Wu said.
“The city government identified issues such as drivers failing to keep a safe following distance, nervousness and distraction as the causes of traffic deaths in January. City officials have tried to tackle the problems through speed management,” he said.
The city government found that more motorists sped through intersections at night, when some traffic signals are turned off or replaced with flashing yellow or red lights, he said.
It changed traffic signal controls, which significantly reduced the number of traffic casualties in February, Wu said.
Traffic deaths involving motorcyclists, elderly people, drunk drivers, pedestrians and children decreased nationwide compared with January 2023, but all increased compared with last year, Deputy Minister of Transportation and Communications Chen Yen-po (陳彥伯) said.
Overall deaths and pedestrian traffic fatalities declined in February, he said.
In February 114 deaths were recorded, down 46 from the same period in 2023 and 13 fewer than last year, indicating that traffic safety is improving, he said.
Meanwhile, Keelung has significantly reduced pedestrian casualties due to a series of measures, the ministry said.
The number of pedestrian deaths within 30 days last year fell by 25 percent compared with 2023, while the number of pedestrian casualties per 100,000 people also dropped significantly, from 109 in 2023 to 56.2 last year, ministry data showed.
The city’s ranking among municipalities has improved, rising from 21st in 2023 to fourth last year, indicating that its pedestrian safety policies are delivering tangible results, the ministry said.
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