By RK Shih/Staff -Images via nvs news.
KAOHSIUNG — Not sure about Grandpa’s driving skills? Head over to Kaohsiung’s new “senior traffic school” — Taiwan’s first traffic safety education park designed specifically for older adults.
The Kaohsiung Motor Vehicles Office says the new facility will begin trial operations in January 2026. According to transport authorities, seniors account for roughly 40 percent of traffic-related deaths in Kaohsiung, making them among the city’s most vulnerable road users.
The park includes a 400-square-meter outdoor experiential zone featuring simulated signalized and unsignalized intersections, pedestrian crossings, passenger safety demonstrations, and full-scale exhibits showing large-vehicle blind spots and off-tracking risks. Seniors practice real-world safety behaviors such as stopping, looking, listening, reading signal countdowns, and maintaining safe distances from heavy vehicles.
An additional 130-square-meter indoor interactive area uses traffic-safety board games, flip-and-tap learning tools, AR-based bicycle and micro-mobility simulations, and tablet-based learning systems to make instruction more intuitive and engaging.
Feng Jing-man (馮靜滿), director of the Kaohsiung Motor Vehicles Office, said senior traffic safety is not just about knowledge, but about improving reaction speed, risk awareness, and decision-making. All activities are designed around the physical and cognitive needs of older adults, using step-by-step instruction, visual feedback, and hands-on demonstrations.
The park also works with the Kaohsiung City Road Traffic Safety Promotion Association, with trained “road instructors” guiding participants through story-based scenarios drawn from everyday life.
Officials said the facility will also serve as a shared platform for community active-aging centers and lifelong learning institutes. Senior groups can book visits online or by phone through the Kaohsiung Motor Vehicles Office.
