Taipei Tightens Traffic Safety After Taxi Pause and Bus Pedestrian Accidents

A taxi driver in Taipei appeared to fall asleep at a traffic light, remaining stopped on a green signal before suddenly moving away. Police retrieved surveillance footage and located the driver for questioning, citing possible fatigue or sudden health issues.

Separately, the Taipei City Transportation Bureau reported two fatal bus accidents caused by pedestrians crossing into the drivers' blind spots. The bureau announced a plan to develop and install a “bus start‑up blind‑spot warning system” on 1,600 buses, funded by a NT$1.2 billion subsidy from the Ministry of Transportation and additional city resources. The system aims to alert drivers to pedestrians in the forward‑right blind‑spot area that current ADAS cannot detect.

Both incidents have prompted city officials to emphasize driver alertness and invest in technology to prevent future collisions.