TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Politicians from the Kuomintang (KMT) and New Power Party (NPP) called for improvements to safety for child motorbike passengers on Wednesday (Feb. 14).
Claire Wang (王婉諭) of the NPP said that many parents have to transport their children on motorcycles because there are no public transport options, and added this problem has been ignored by the government, per CNA. Wang said national safety standards for children’s motorcycle helmets and seats should be established as there currently are none.
Wang also said the government should educate riders of Taiwan’s more than 14.5 million motorcycles on how to safely transport children.
Meanwhile, former KMT legislator and traffic safety advocate Yu Yu-lan (游毓蘭) said that transporting children on motorcycles is a reality of life for many Taiwanese parents, and is even more common in rural areas. She said for some children, lack of access to suitable helmets means they do not wear them, and this creates a serious risk in the event of an accident.
Yu advocated for a safe walking environment around primary schools as part of the solution to this problem. She noted that many alleyways in urban areas lack footpaths, which she called a “fundamental problem.”
Footpaths have not been required on Taiwan’s roads because lawmakers, politicians, and government ministries are afraid of upsetting business owners and losing votes, Yu claimed. She said the problem has long been ignored despite the demands of some legislators.
For safe transport options for intermediate school students, Yu said bike lanes should be built, and the government should implement safe cycling education.
