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進入《TAIPEI TIMES》 Executive Yuan chided over accidents
People cross an intersection in Taipei in an undated photograph. Photo: Taipei Times file
‘THREAT TO LIFE’: Executive Yuan officials ignored a report on traffic accidents, the Control Yuan said, adding that their inaction has affected Taiwanese’s right to life
By Yang Cheng-yu and Jason Pan / Staff reporters
The Control Yuan has censured the Executive Yuan over traffic accidents in which minors were injured or killed, Control Yuan member Yeh Ta-hua （葉大華） said on Friday.
The number of traffic accidents in Taiwan has risen over the past few years, especially those that have resulted in the injury or death of pedestrians, including young people and children, Yeh told a news conference.
This has severely tarnished Taiwan’s image in the international community, she said.
The government has remained negligent and failed to implement measures to reduce traffic accidents since she conducted an investigation last year, Yeh said.
Therefore, the Control Yuan’s Committee on Transportation and Procurement Affairs on Tuesday censured the Executive Yuan for its failure to take corrective measures, she said.
Censured agencies that need to take corrective measures are the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Ministry of Education, as well as all local government departments responsible for the health and safety of children, she said.
Inaction by Executive Yuan officials has affected Taiwanese’s right to life and hindered the development of young people and children, she added.
Taiwan’s population declined in 2020, but traffic accidents involving the death or injury of minors have continued to increase, Yeh said.
With the nation’s birthrate declining, Taiwanese children are facing worsening conditions that endanger their safety and lives, she said.
That was the reason she initiated the probe last year to gather government data and information on policies linked to the causes of traffic accidents with child victims.
The probe was completed in May last year, and included recommendations, proposals and remedial actions, she said.
Yeh’s report compared Taiwan with Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries, and found that it ranked low in the “Child and Adolescent Injury Mortality Rate.”
The nation also failed to reach the goals set out by the Executive Yuan for programs to protect minors from traffic accidents, the report said.
Yeh said the report suggested that the government immediately establish mechanisms to monitor death and injury to minors.
It urged government agencies to implement a “3E” transportation program, referring to “education,” “engineering” and “enforcement.”
The report also called for more emphasis on human rights and personal safety in the transportation sector, as well as overall road safety for children.
“It has been one year since that report, and during the period we sent three notifications to Executive Yuan officials to request updates regarding progress on the recommendations,” Yeh said.
Yeh cited an incident from December last year, when a family of three was run over by a bus at a crosswalk in Taichung, resulting in the death of the mother and child.
She also cited an accident in Tainan last month, when a mother and her daughter were hit by a car at a zebra crossing, resulting in the toddler’s death.
“These show that traffic accidents pose serious threats to the lives of children in Taiwan,” Yeh said.
Last year, 3,085 people died in traffic accidents in Taiwan and 498,887 were injured, with both figures rising from 2021, Yeh said, citing transportation ministry data.
“Among them, the number of children who were injured or killed rose 1,589 from 2021,” she said.
新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES
