TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Minister of Transportation and Communications Wang Kwo-tsai (王國材) said on Wednesday (Dec. 14) that his ministry had proposed an amendment bill to raise fines for drivers who do not yield to pedestrians crossing the street.

The American media outlet CNN Travel recently claimed that Taiwan has "battlefield-like" traffic conditions, and cited a Facebook page that labeled Taiwan as a "living hell for pedestrians." The governments of five foreign countries, including the U.S., U.K., Australia, Canada, and Japan, have issued warnings to their citizens about Taiwan’s chaotic traffic conditions, especially spelling out pedestrians’ risks when crossing the street.

When asked by media about the international reports of Taiwan’s traffic conditions, Wang said that the road construction stemming from past urban planning had prioritized vehicles, but there have been improvements in the highway design in recent years, CNA reported. Pedestrian crossings are installed at places in urban areas with such needs, and in case there is not enough space, markings are made to indicate crosswalks, but more needs to be done, the minister added.

According to Wang, the more serious problems are that the sidewalks of the existing roads are not totally linked up, the arcades are occupied, and drivers do not respect pedestrians' right of way.

Wang said that his ministry and local governments will continue working to improve road safety and pedestrian spaces. The ministry proposed a draft amendment to the Road Traffic Management and Penalty Act in April to raise fines for drivers not yielding to pedestrians from NT$3,600 (US$108) to NT$6,000, which will be reviewed by the Transportation Committee of the country’s legislature next week, he added, per CNA.