TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Three primary-school-age siblings were hit by an SUV on a zebra crossing in Changhua County on Thursday (Feb. 22), two of whom were seriously injured.

The siblings, surnamed Chen (陳), were using a zebra crossing in the dark when they were hit by a man in his seventies driving an SUV. Two girls were seriously injured and a boy escaped with minor injuries, per CNA.

Both of the sisters’ hearts reportedly stopped beating for a time after the accident but were revived by paramedics, who took all three children to nearby hospitals. The girls suffered from brain hemorrhages and chest injuries and have been transferred to pediatric intensive care.

The driver, surnamed Hsiao (蕭), was not under the influence of alcohol at the time of the collision, police said. An investigation is being carried out into the cause of the accident.

Changhua County Magistrate Wang Huei-mei (王惠美) said she went to the hospital after hearing the news and issued a government condolence payment of NT$20,000 (about US$633). She said the children are members of a low-income family, and she will continue to monitor the case along with social and medical services.

The collision occurred on the same day as the Ministry of the Interior proposed a draft sidewalk improvement plan for better pedestrian safety. Between January and November 2023, more than 100 people were injured in traffic incidents within 500 m of primary schools in Shengang Township, Changhua County alone.

That is compared to over 367,000 injuries in the same period nationwide, and 2,759 deaths, a rate of more than eight people per day.