Starting June 30th, drivers in Taiwan who do not yield to pedestrians crossing the street will face a NT$6,000 (US$200) fine and will be required to take a three-hour traffic safety course. The policy was confirmed on Tuesday during a joint interview with transportation minister Wang Kwo-tsai (王國材) and Premiere Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁).
The fine increase from NT$3,600 to NT$6,000 was passed as part of a transportation safety reform package last April. The new regulations came after public outcry over a number of transportation-related tragedies, including several pedestrian deaths. Taiwan’s transportation safety has been criticized in local and international media in recent years, with one CNN headline referring to Taiwan as a “living hell” for pedestrians.
Wang says that the previous regulation requiring drivers to stay three meters away from pedestrians remains unchanged. He says that the new fines will be enough to change people’s driving habits without changing the three-meter rule.
Wang adds that beyond the higher fines, the transportation ministry has also asked local governments to improve traffic safety by creating dedicated pedestrian areas, allowing pedestrians to begin crossing before cars, and moving crosswalks further away from intersections. He adds his ministry will continue to announce the accomplishments of local efforts at press conferences as the central and local governments work together to improve safety.