Traffic accidents, and traffic-related deaths and injuries all dropped in the first quarter of the year from the same period last year amid government efforts to enhance safety on the roads, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications said this week.
There were 128,003 traffic incidents from January to April, down 4.8 percent compared with the same period last year, ministry data showed.
The number of people injured fell 5.3 percent to 171,005, while deaths dropped 5.5 percent to 982, the data showed.
Photo: Taipei Times
Both figures reached the target of a 5 percent reduction, with the reduction in deaths reaching a ministry target for the first time, it said.
Deaths involving scooters, elderly people, drunk drivers, pedestrians and children all decreased compared with the same period last year, the ministry said.
Pingtung County performed the worst in terms of deaths within 30 days after a crash, which included nationwide-worst numbers of deaths in incidents involving motorcyclists and elderly people, the data showed.
Hsinchu City had the most number of pedestrian deaths in the first quarter, while Yunlin County recorded the highest number of deaths linked to drunk driving incidents, the data showed.
Taipei was tied with Pingtung County for the highest number of motorcycle fatalities, the data showed.
Tainan had the lowest number of deaths from drunk driving incidents and deaths within 30 days of a crash, while Taipei was the best in controlling pedestrian deaths, the ministry said.
Taichung and Chiayi County respectively recorded the lowest number of motorcycle fatalities and deaths of elderly people, it said.
Minister of Transportation and Communications Li Meng-yen (李孟諺) said that Pingtung County’s poor record compared with other administrative regions was due to its record of deaths among motorcyclists and elderly people.
Li said that he has contacted the county government and pledged to offer assistance on the issue.
As 60 percent of traffic incident-related deaths nationwide were motorcycle crashes, particularly in the 18-to-24 and 65-to-84 age groups, reducing those numbers would be the focus of future road safety efforts, he said.
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