By KHT Staff
KAOHSIUNG — KMT Kaohsiung City Councilor Li Ya-ching (李雅靜) is calling on the municipal government to establish a specialized task force to address traffic safety issues involving missing migrant workers and the illegal use of “gray-market lien vehicles” (權利車). The China Times reports that during a recent city council meeting, Li characterized the current situation as a “time bomb on the roads” following a series of hit-and-run incidents.
A title-restricted vehicle typically refers to a car whose legal ownership cannot be transferred because it serves as collateral for an unpaid bank loan. These vehicles are often sold through underground channels at low prices to buyers who receive the physical car and a “right to use” document, but no legal title. Li stated that missing migrant workers, meaning those who have left their contracted employers and are residing in Taiwan illegally, are increasingly purchasing these untraceable cars. Because such drivers lack valid licenses, insurance, or legal status, there have been cases where people have fled the scene of an accident to avoid deportation.
Statistical Context
According to data presented by Li, Kaohsiung recorded significant casualties involving migrant workers between 2023 and 2025: 23 fatalities and over 4500 injuries.
Li emphasized that while these figures include legal residents, the rise of title-restricted vehicles driven by missing workers creates a significant gap in compensation for victims who are left to fend for themselves without recourse to insurance coverage.
Ministry of Transportation (MOTC) data indicates that the overwhelming majority of traffic accidents and hit-and-run incidents in Kaohsiung involve Taiwanese citizens. Critics of proposed crackdowns have previously noted that focusing on migrant workers may overlook broader systemic issues, such as the general lack of road safety infrastructure or the high volume of unlicensed Taiwanese drivers.
On Thursday, the Kaohsiung City Police Department stated that it has maintained a management and investigation mechanism for gray-market lien vehicles since October 2023. Officials said they would continue to coordinate with the National Immigration Agency (NIA) to track missing workers.
Furthermore, the police department has requested that central government authorities review legislative measures to tighten vehicle management systems for cars with long-term unpaid taxes or fees, aiming to prevent such vehicles from being utilized for illegal activities.
