By KHT Staff
TAINAN — Two 17-year-olds died after an unlicensed scooter rider crashed into a roadside tree in Tainan’s Anping District (安平) early Tuesday, local media reported.
The crash occurred at about 4:00 a.m. near Anbei Road (安北路) and Zhouping 1st Street (洲平一街).
A 17-year-old boy surnamed Liu (劉) was riding the scooter with a 17-year-old girl as his passenger when the vehicle left the road for unknown reasons and struck a tree, reports said.
The impact threw both teenagers from the scooter, which then caught fire.
Both were taken to the hospital but later died from their injuries.
The two had reportedly traveled from Madou (麻豆) with friends and had stopped in Yongkang (永康) before heading toward Sunset Platform (觀夕平台) in Anping to watch the sunrise.
Liu’s father told local media that his older son had also died last year after riding a scooter without a license.
Liu’s father said he had repeatedly warned the 17-year-old not to ride. He said his son was aware of the history of accidents in the family, including one from years ago when the father was injured after he took someone’s scooter without permission and crashed into a utility pole.
The father also said Liu had been drinking before riding, though police had not yet announced the official cause of the crash.
The case remains under investigation.
