In an effort to comprehensively improve pedestrian traffic safety, the Executive Yuan in May 2023 approved a set of traffic safety guidelines prioritizing pedestrian right of way, and on August 17 approved a higher-level set of policy guidelines for pedestrian traffic safety (2023-2027). The policy guidelines lay out a set of major initiatives with short-term (half-year), medium-term (one-year) and long-term (four-year) action items, proactively tackling the issue in the areas of legislation, education, engineering, supervision, enforcement and public transportation to achieve the goal of 30% fewer pedestrian traffic deaths by 2030, and ultimately to approach the "Vision Zero" goal of zero road traffic deaths.
Three major initiatives
■ Enact a basic act for road traffic safety: This basic law establishes meetings between central government agencies to discuss road traffic safety. Chaired by the premier, the meetings review policy planning every four years to refine the systems promoting road safety.
■ Develop a comprehensive system of public transportation: Greater usage of public transportation will be encouraged through measures such as promoting a highway public transportation plan, popularizing accessibility in transportation services, expanding Happiness Bus and Happiness Taxi services in rural areas, and offering bicycle-sharing programs with both bikes and e-bikes, to help travelers cover the last mile to their destinations.
■ Implement improvements to pedestrian traffic safety: This initiative includes administering a plan to sustainably increase pedestrian safety, formulating an act to govern pedestrian-friendly traffic facilities, requiring those who seriously violate traffic laws to periodically renew their driver's license, expanding subsidies for motorcycle driving classes, promoting motorcycle road driving classes, applying heavier traffic fines, and imposing stricter enforcement for key traffic violations. These measures will help protect the safety of pedestrians, especially the disabled, children and elderly.