《TAIPEI TIMES》Traffic report shows increase in crash data

DRUNK-DRIVING RESULTS: The transportation ministry said Yilan was the worst in terms of deaths from drunk driving, with five more than the same period last year

By Jake Chung / Staff writer, with CNA

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Traffic incidents decreased in Kaohsiung, Taichung and Hsinchu City, but increased in Taoyuan, Taipei and Tainan, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications said yesterday as it released a report on traffic accidents in the first four months of this year.

There were 133,972 crashes from January to April, resulting in 1,039 deaths and 179,930 injuries, the ministry said in the report on the results of measures to improve traffic safety nationwide.

The figures for crashes, deaths and injuries all increased from the same period last year, and the death toll was the highest for the period in five years, failing to meet a target to reduce deaths by 5 percent year-on-year, the report said.

Taichung had the most deaths within 30 days of being in a crash at 116, Kaohsiung was second with 104, Tainan was third with 103, New Taipei City was fourth with 99 and Changhua County was fifth with 83, the data showed.

Taichung had the most crashes, 23,426, and injuries, 31,333; New Taipei City had 16,210 crashes and 21,994 injuries; Taoyuan had 12,063 crashes and 17,196 injuries; Tainan had 14,937 crashes and 20,315 injuries; and Kaohsiung had 12,063 crashes and 17,196 injuries, it said.

Kaohsiung was the most successful region in reducing the number of deaths from crashes, with eight fewer fatalities, Taichung was second with four and Hsinchu City was third with three, the report said.

Taoyuan had eight more deaths compared with the first four months of last year, Taipei had seven and Tainan had five, it said.

Data regarding elderly people showed that Yunlin County had 11 additional deaths due to traffic crashes compared with the same period last year, while Kaohsiung reported a decrease of 12, the report said.

Yilan County was the worst region in terms of deaths from drunk driving, with an increase of five compared with the same period last year, while the death toll from drunk driving decreased by seven in Kaohsiung, it said.

Separately Deputy Ministry of Transportation and Communications Chen Yen-po （陳彥伯） told reporters that Executive Yuan programs to reduce traffic incidents have lagged behind schedule.

The delays are due to the need to collaborate with local governments and driving education service providers, Chen said.

新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES