In a major step to better incorporate the bicycle into Taiwan's traffic grid, the Director of Highways and Transportation, Chen Yan-bo, has proposed amending the current laws with the aim of bringing accidents between bicycles and cars within the jurisdiction of the police and prosecutor's office.
According to a report from the Liberty Times, an average of 140 Taiwanese cyclists are killed annually. With the growing number of bicycles entering the roadways, the rights of cyclists can not be ignored.
Under the current laws, accidents between bicycles and automobiles are considered to be strictly a civil matter outside the jurisdiction of Taiwan's criminal code.
In the past, the difficulty with implementing and enforcing laws to regulate and protect cyclists has stymied efforts to include the bicycle into the transportation grid.
The changes still must undergo a 3 month review process before they can be implemented, but it appears positive change is in the works. Enforcement of these laws will be key to helping integrate the bike into the urban environment.
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