Improvements to make railway level crossings safer around Taiwan have already saved many lives. That’s the word from Taiwan Railways Administration officials on Friday.
The administration is responsible for managing and maintaining passenger and freight services on most of Taiwan’s rail network.
In 2015, the railway administration put forward a six-year plan to improve safety on the railways. That was followed by a further plan in 2017 to electrify and install smart technologies at level crossings around the country.
The administration says the upgrades have already had a big impact on deaths and injuries at level crossings. The number of accidents dropped from over 30 in 2011 to fewer than ten by 2018. Incidents involving broken barriers also dropped by 75% in the same period.
Taiwan Railways Administration official Chou Tsu-te says railway authorities are pushing forward with further improvements. He says over 300 level crossings will soon have automatic obstacle detection systems.
Authorities have also upgraded warning lights at crossings and added emergency buttons. Chou says all these systems send signals to drivers of incoming trains if there is any kind of emergency.