The Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) yesterday said it is establishing a “Road Safety Mobilization” platform to reinforce bilateral communication between the public and the government, encourage public participation in traffic safety matters and keep information transparent.
The ministry said it would hold monthly meetings and issue weekly updates.
The weekly meetings would include reports of the number of traffic-related deaths over a 24-hour timeframe, while the monthly meetings would report on the deaths over the previous 30 days.
Photo courtesy of the Executive Yuan
Its Web site would also have a section where the public can report dangerous crossings, it added.
Minister of Transportation and Communications Li Meng-yen (李孟諺) said his ministry has been working with local governments to make crossings safer.
The ministry has installed 170 tech-based law enforcement sites and is expected to add another 175 by the end of the year, Li said.
The government has also agreed to subsidize improvements for 799 crossings nationwide and has asked local governments to expedite construction, Li said, adding the goal was to complete 400 projects by the end of September.
The ministry designated 799 crossings as dangerous crossings, 196 of which would be handled by the Highway Bureau while the remainder would be taken over by local governments.
Li said the government has already finished 200 traffic safety improvement projects near schools and that it hopes to complete all projects by the end of the year.
The ministry also hopes to complete 500 crossing improvement projects for provincial highways before the end of September, totaling 2,000 completed projects by the end of the year, Li added.
The Ministry of the Interior has been asked to finalize the draft of pedestrian safety facilities enforcement rules, which should be promulgated by October, he said.
The MOTC has been increasing efforts to complete drafts for the reference on road and traffic signage placement, and the guidelines for general road designs to provide clearer standards for local governments.
The MOTC said it hopes local governments would be able to base road policies on public feedback.
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