Woman fatally struck by bus on pedestrian crossing in New Taipei City; son vows to push for safety upgrades

A tragic accident occurred on a pedestrian crossing in Banqiao District, New Taipei City, resulting in the death of a woman who was struck and run over by a bus. The victim has been identified as the former wife of New Taipei City Councilor Chou Sheng-kao.

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The bus stopped for only a very short time, and the driver's blind spot is also a major issue. Later, we will propose a traffic improvement plan for large vehicles to reduce pedestrian fatalities due to traffic blind spots.

The incident took place around 8 a.m. as the woman was crossing the street at the intersection of Beimen Street and Ximen Street. According to reports, the bus stopped briefly before proceeding and hitting the woman. Councilor Chou Sheng-kao and his son, Chou Wei-han, who is currently running for city council, rushed to the hospital upon hearing the news. Chou Wei-han was visibly distressed, recalling how his mother had been actively campaigning for his election.

Chou Wei-han discussed the incident with his father, noting that the bus only stopped for a very short time. They believe that the bus driver's blind spot and the brief stop contributed to the tragedy. The father and son plan to propose policy changes for large vehicles, including mandatory anti-collision systems. They argue that buses should be equipped with technology similar to that in cars, which can detect obstacles and slow down or stop automatically, thereby reducing pedestrian fatalities, especially at crosswalks intended for vulnerable users like the elderly and children.

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The bus driver claimed a blind spot and said he didn't see the person. I can't accept that.

Chou Wei-han expressed disbelief at the bus driver's claim of a blind spot, stating that his mother had already run past the front of the bus. He questioned why buses, which are involved in frequent accidents, cannot be equipped with safety systems to mitigate injuries and fatalities. He intends to push for these safety improvements, inspired by his mother's death, and stated that her passing will not deter him from his political aspirations or public service.

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In the future, I will promote this life-saving improvement mechanism for buses, forcing them to install anti-collision systems, which will slow down or stop when there is an obstacle in front, to reduce the occurrence of unfortunate events.