TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The Taipei City Government's Department of Transportation urged YouBike users to sign up for additional protection on Tuesday (Dec. 12).
This reminder comes after the City Government reported 812 YouBike accidents from last year to the end of November this year. Surprisingly, 36.5% of riders have not subscribed to public bicycle injury insurance.
Chu Chen-tso, chief of the Transportation Management Division, mentioned that most accidents resulted from riders cycling too fast or being unable to brake while going downhill, leading to falls and injuries. Some incidents even led to fractures, and tragically, there was a fatal accident involving a YouBike rider and a truck.
With injury insurance, compensation for fractures or serious accidents can reach up to NT＄1 million, with hospitalization claims of NT＄1,000 per day. However, minor injuries like scrapes and bruises are generally not covered, considering the existing National Health Insurance payouts.
Since the introduction of free public bicycle injury insurance in 2018, the insurance rate has risen from 49.4% to 63.5%.
Despite recent improvements, surveys indicate that 37% of individuals are unaware of public bicycle injury insurance, 30% believe they don't need it, and 20% are hesitant to go through the application process.
Furthermore, about 60% of users don't realize that each YouBike card requires separate insurance coverage.
Taipei boasts 1,325 YouBike 2.0 stations and 15,047 bicycles. During peak hours, high demand often poses challenges for riders renting or returning bikes.
Considering the increased usage, authorities encourage the public to consider additional insurance protection.