TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The Ministry of Education (MOE, 教育部) reported on Wednesday (Aug. 21) that campus traffic incidents have surpassed 500 cases for the first time in recent years, affecting over 700 individuals. This alarming trend highlights the urgent need for improved campus safety measures.
Hsu Ya-jen (許雅荏), director of the Jing Chuan Child Safety Foundation (靖娟文教基金會), noted that intertwined pedestrian and vehicle pathways, especially in universities, increase accident risks. She pointed out that faculty and students frequently drive or ride motorcycles on campus, exacerbating the problem.
Data from the MOE over the past three years shows that off-campus traffic incidents have also remained high, with 8,013 cases reported in 2022, impacting 9,512 people. Large university campuses, such as National Dong Hwa University (東華大學) and National Cheng Kung University (NCKU, 成功大學), have witnessed several severe on-campus traffic accidents in recent years.
Hsu recommended that future campus planning should prioritize separating pedestrian and vehicle routes, particularly for historic schools.
Chuang Chih-cheng (莊智程), former president of the National Taiwan University (NTU, 台灣大學) Student Association, stated that campus roads are not subject to traffic safety regulations, leading to frequent violations such as illegal parking and speeding, which campus security can only advise against.
NTU recently set the goal to achieve a car-free campus within ten years. The university plans to gradually reduce above-ground parking spaces and return campus roads to pedestrians while also considering flexible measures for faculty and staff with mobility issues. In early September, they will present a draft of the "Car-Free Campus Plan" to the planning committee for feedback.
NCKU has also introduced new traffic safety plans, including installing speed bumps and requiring car parking permit holders to complete a health self-assessment form. The university aims to install three speed detection devices by the end of the year and will review and amend campus traffic safety regulations by the end of next semester.