At the Cabinet's weekly meeting Thursday, Premier Chen Chien-jen received briefings from the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, Ministry of the Interior and Ministry of Education on traffic safety guidelines that give pedestrians right of way. The premier said that since assuming office, he has placed a particular emphasis on law and order, road safety and data security, with road safety affecting every member of the public. The premier instructed related ministries and agencies, as well as local governments, to proactively implement the guidelines in order to make significant progress toward the ideal of achieving zero pedestrian fatalities, and make the nation's streets safe, reliable and convenient.
The guidelines harness the full policy and legal apparatus of central government, require implementation at the local government level and provide for public-private cooperation, the premier said. They encompass four main strands—engineering projects, education, supervision and law enforcement—contain 19 separate action plans, and are designed to achieve an overall upgrade of the pedestrian environment, as well as improve traffic safety.
Putting people first and prioritizing the pedestrian right of way are concepts that must be instilled in the minds of every citizen, the premier said, with the promotion of traffic safety education that is appropriate to each age and demographic, starting from the early school years. This will gradually cultivate the notions of respecting and giving way to pedestrians, thus creating a culture of road safety that centers on people and puts pedestrians first.
Central government supervisory systems are also key to improving road safety, the premier said. Overseeing and ensuring compliance with traffic regulations will strengthen driving habits in the general population, leading to an overall improvement in safe driving culture.
The premier emphasized that upholding traffic safety is everyone's responsibility. Just as everyone united to fight the COVID-19 pandemic in the past, allowing it to be brought under control, traffic safety also requires a collective effort to make Taiwan's streets a safe, reliable and convenient space for pedestrians, as well as to show the world that Taiwan is a law-abiding place with safe roads ideally suited for tourism and exchanges.