Police said driving while fatigued is believed to be the main cause of the crash, but a city inspection also pointed to a familiar mix of illegal scooter parking, limited pedestrian space, and road design problems around the site.

Kaohsiung officials say the Christmas Festival at Central Park now ranks as southern Taiwan’s largest year-end cultural gathering.

Kaohsiung City Councilor Chang Po-yang (張博洋) said the confusion not only increases the risk of traffic violations but can also make riders hesitate or suddenly switch lanes, raising the chance of accidents. He said that under Kaohsiung’s own review process for two-stage left turns by motorcycles and slow vehicles, roads with two lanes or fewer in one direction should, in principle, not require two-stage left turns.

The two-day competition began Thursday and wraps up today at InterContinental Kaohsiung (高雄洲際酒店). It is part of a global series organized by Pegasus Tech Ventures, which brings together startups, venture capital firms, and technology executives. Organizers say the Startup World Cup includes more than 100 regional competitions across six continents. The winner in Kaohsiung will advance to the global competition, scheduled for Nov. 4–6 at Hilton Union Square in San Francisco.