A 32-year-old British man was hit and killed by a taxi in Taipei City early on Saturday morning.
Taipei police said Mark Paul Bennett was hit as he was crossing at the corner of Jilin Road and Minquan E Rd at about 3am.
TV news footage showed the windscreen of the taxi was broken by the impact, with one of the victim’s shoes lying on the road.
Police said the 70-year-old driver of the taxi, Chen Chin-tsang (陳金藏), was driving his vehicle illegally as by law cab drivers must be under the age of 68.
Chen will be charged with accidental homicide in the workplace and also be fined for driving a taxi illegally, police said.
They said that Chen, as well as a female passenger, told police that the taxi was crossing the junction on a green light.
Chen said he did not see the victim before the collision.
Police said Bennett moved to Taipei last May and was working as an English teacher.
An acquaintance of Bennett’s said his mother and brother had arrived in Taiwan yesterday.
The accident occurred less than a year after former ambassador to Guatemala Lu Yi-cheng (陸以正) was hit by a taxi in April while crossing in a pedestrian zone, promoting the administration of Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) to step up efforts to clamp down on drivers who fail to yield to pedestrians.
According to regulations, drivers who fail to yield to pedestrians can be fined between NT$1,200 and NT$3,600.
Police authorities urged drivers to yield to pedestrians, while calling on pedestrians to stop at red lights.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY STAFF WRITER
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