TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The Taiwan Vision Zero Alliance (行人零死亡推動聯盟) criticized Taiwan's current driving regulations on Sunday (Nov. 17), labeling the local driver's license as "the easiest to obtain in the world," and urging the central government to overhaul the training and retraining systems.
The alliance's comment came after a tragic bus collision earlier that day at the intersection of Zhongxiao East Road (忠孝東路) and Zhenjiang Street (鎮江街) in Taipei's Zhongzheng District (中正區), which resulted in one fatality and injured 15 others.
Authorities suspect the female driver, surnamed Hsieh, failed to maintain a safe distance, leading to the crash. She has been released on bail for NT$300,000. The incident has sparked renewed calls for reform in Taiwan's driving education system.
The alliance emphasized the lack of a regular retraining system for drivers and pointed out that drivers can upgrade from a small car license to a large bus license after just two years, provided they attend a driving course. This practice, they argue, leaves bus drivers with insufficient experience to protect vulnerable road users effectively.
The alliance has submitted a report to the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (交通部), titled "Taiwan Traffic Driving Education: Review of Driving Training, Licensing, Retraining Systems and Optimization Strategies" (台灣交通駕訓教育：檢討駕訓、考照、回訓制度與優化對策報告).
The report highlights issues such as rigid exam content, lenient examiners, and inadequate road test scenarios. The alliance calls for comprehensive reforms to enhance road safety and protect pedestrians.