Another traffic incident occurred in Taichung on Sunday, when a bus killed a 20-year-old woman on a pedestrian crossing. This tragedy is reminiscent of one in 2022 when a Taichung bus struck a family of three lawfully crossing the road, killing a mother and her one-year-old son. The government responded by imposing harsher punishments for traffic violations in which drivers fail to yield to pedestrians.
To say that the government has done nothing to address this issue would be unfair. This year, the Taichung City Government added law-enforcement technology at 20 more locations. Pedestrian walkways near MRT stations are no longer located in turning zones, but have been moved several meters to straighter sections of the road so that pedestrians are more visible. Pedestrian crossings have also been made longer and islands added. There have also been no shortage of baffling “improvements,” including a huge increase of painted islands — islands drawn with road markings only — that cannot be crossed or driven over and that significantly reduce road width.
Drivers should bear full responsibility for accidents on pedestrian crossings. However, simply requiring drivers to yield to pedestrians, strengthening bans and increasing punishments is an oversimplification of the issue. One night while I was driving and making a left turn, a pedestrian crossing the road was completely blocked by my car’s A-pillar — one of the frontmost pillars that support the roof on either side of the windshield. Fortunately, I was driving slowly, which allowed me to slam on the brakes, narrowly avoiding an accident.
I myself was nearly hit by a car as I was walking on a pedestrian crossing. Since then, I have been anxious every time I have crossed the road.
Why do we not start by altering traffic control signals so that turning cars and pedestrians are not simultaneously given green lights? Some intersections near schools and shopping centers have green lights designated for pedestrians only, while all vehicles must stop and wait. Alternatively, perhaps pedestrians and cars going straight could have simultaneous green lights, while turning cars would have red lights to prevent cars and pedestrians from crossing paths. This could also reduce anxiety for drivers in turn lanes who must wait for pedestrians to finish crossing.
Automobile technology changes with each passing day. The radius difference of the inner wheels on large passenger vehicles and shipping trucks often causes traffic accidents. Should we not require or subsidize the installation of 360-degree cameras on these vehicles? When they are turning, the main control screen would automatically display the vehicle’s surroundings and eliminate blind spots. They could even produce audible alerts when the vehicle gets too close to a physical obstacle. The regulations for the A-pillar on smaller vehicles should also be improved — they could be made thinner or transparent, or panoramic cameras could be installed.
Traffic accidents are predominantly caused by human error. Before improvements to traffic signals, road markings, and lighting at intersections are complete, we should remember these things. While making a turn, drivers must not drive too quickly — life is precious and it is not worth causing a tragedy just to save a few seconds of time. Pedestrians should also remain conscious of their surroundings — when crossing the road, stand tall, wave your hands and widen your stance to make yourself as visible as possible. With this multi-faceted approach, I hope that Taiwan can soon free itself from its negative reputation as a “pedestrian hell.”
Chang Yen-ming is a former director of the Water Resources Agency’s Taichung office.
Translated by Kyra Gustavsen
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