TAIPEI (TVBS News) — On July 1, the Minister of Transportation and Communications Li Men-yen (李孟諺) announced a notable decrease in traffic fatalities during his first road safety press conference since taking office on May 20.
During the conference, Li revealed a 5.5% reduction in fatalities compared with the same period last year.
He emphasized the ministry's commitment to enhancing road safety by improving accident-prone intersections nationwide. The Executive Yuan has approved a four-year NT$40 billion plan to subsidize local governments for road construction improvements, including 799 intersections identified as high-risk.
Despite these efforts, only 99 of the targeted intersections have been completed as of July, representing about 10% of the planned improvements.
Johnny Liu (劉成謙) from the Taiwan Vision Zero Alliance (行人零死亡推動聯盟) highlighted local governments' reluctance to undertake construction projects due to high costs and bureaucratic complexity. "Local governments prefer changing markings over construction projects," Liu pointed out.
Liu also suggested that the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC, 交通部) should lead the charge in overall road safety improvements. He called for a review of legislation to allow basic safety enhancements, such as installing speed bumps in pedestrian priority areas, to be implemented through executive orders.
The government must collaborate with local authorities to proactively address traffic safety concerns and restore Taiwan’s reputation in traffic management. This initiative aims to create safer roads and reduce accidents across the country.