What you need to know
Morley Weston takes a close look at Taiwan's traffic accidents and finds some surprising results.
Residents of Taipei like to complain about the traffic and the crazy drivers, but the capital is really the safest urban area in the country to drive in.
A look at traffic injuries since the beginning of the year shows that Taiwan’s other cities have dwarfed Taipei in terms of reported traffic accidents. “Reported” is key; there are surely many traffic accidents that the drivers limped away from without calling the police.
Nevertheless, Taipei’s high public transport usage, more widespread adherence to the rules of the road and clearer road markings have kept residents safer than in other parts the country.
Traffic deaths are not too bad around the country, but less useful to look at this year, as February’s bus accident in Taipei would have skewed the results significantly.
