By KHT Staff. Image via KH City Transportation Bureau.
KAOHSIUNG — Deaths of older adults at Kaohsiung intersections fell about 40% from January to May after police began an intersection assistance program late last year, the city’s traffic police said.
The Kaohsiung Police Department’s Traffic Police Corps said older pedestrians are at higher risk because they often walk more slowly and may have more difficulty judging traffic signal timing or reacting to changing road conditions.
Under the program, officers stationed at intersections remind older adults not to cross if there is too little time left on the pedestrian signal, warn people against crossing illegally, and help seniors cross when needed.
A report from Liberty Times quoted Ministry of Transportation statistics, which showed that 45 older adults died in traffic accidents in Kaohsiung from January to May, down from 63 during the same period last year, a decrease of about 28.6%.
Older pedestrian deaths fell from 14 to four, a drop of 71.4%.
Deaths of older adults at intersections fell from 42 to 25, down about 40.5%.
However, police said unlicensed driving remains a concern.
From January to May, 13 older adults died in accidents while driving without a license, up from seven during the same period in 2024 and 10 during the same period in 2025.
Police said some seniors continue riding scooters after their licenses expire or after they are no longer able to renew them because of declining physical ability.
They said older riders may believe short trips near home are safe because the roads are familiar, but accidents can still cause serious injury or death.
Police urged families to pay attention to changes in older relatives’ eyesight, reaction time, and driving ability. They said families should encourage seniors with safety concerns to use public transport, get rides from relatives, or use other safer alternatives.
