TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's roadways are becoming significantly safer according to new government data released Wednesday (May 7), with the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MTC, 交通部) reporting the lowest traffic fatality rate in over six years between January and February. Transportation officials revealed that 469 people lost their lives in the first two months of this year, representing the lowest 30-day death toll since 2019 and signaling a marked improvement in the island's historically challenging road safety conditions.
During the announcement, Transportation Minister Chen Shih-kai (陳世凱) highlighted a particularly encouraging milestone in the latest safety figures, noting that pedestrian deaths had fallen to just 62 cases during the two-month period, establishing a record low since the government began systematically tracking this specific category of traffic fatalities in 2008. While the total number of reported traffic incidents actually increased slightly to 65,659 accidents, representing a 0.5% uptick from the previous year, the critical 30-day mortality rate showed substantial improvement, dropping 13.3% compared to 2024 and 10.8% versus 2023 levels.
The improving traffic safety statistics align with an ambitious national initiative launched by President Lai Ching-te (賴清德), who has established a target of halving road deaths by 2030 from their 2023 levels. Ministry officials emphasized that comprehensive safety enhancement programs have been aggressively implemented across the island to support this goal. The January-February data revealed encouraging trends across multiple high-risk categories, with reductions in motorcycle-related deaths, elderly traffic fatalities, and alcohol-impaired driving incidents. The report also noted that child traffic deaths decreased slightly from the previous year, dropping by one case to a total of 16 fatalities.
Expanding the analysis to include March data, transportation officials reported that immediate (24-hour) traffic fatalities totaled 414 lives lost during the first quarter, including 54 pedestrian deaths. These figures represent significant year-over-year improvements of 8.6% in overall immediate fatalities and an even more substantial 16.9% reduction in pedestrian deaths compared to the same period in 2024. The ministry has accelerated infrastructure improvements, completing safety enhancements at 2,561 pedestrian crossings by implementing setback designs at intersections. Officials also noted strong public engagement in the safety initiative, with citizens submitting 2,835 reports identifying dangerous intersections requiring modifications.
The ministry further detailed its ongoing infrastructure safety campaign, reporting that authorities have already completed pedestrian safety facility upgrades at 413 specific locations during the first four months of 2025. This represents approximately one-third of the government's ambitious target to enhance 1,316 total locations by December. The comprehensive initiative also includes significant sidewalk reconstruction and expansion efforts, with 46.8 kilometers of pedestrian pathways already improved this year toward an annual goal of 120.75 kilometers of upgraded walkways throughout Taiwan's urban and suburban areas. ★