Statistics from the past three years compiled by the Yilan County showed that there were 60 intersections where traffic accidents frequently occurred, so it asked local road authorities to build pedestrian refuge islands. However, scooter drivers are driving onto these islands, injuring pedestrians in the process.
A pedestrian walking on a zebra crossing is killed by a truck. Another pedestrian walking on a sidewalk is hit and injured by a turning vehicle. Taiwan's drivers make it extremely dangerous for anyone to be a pedestrian, and the situation has been described as a "living hell for pedestrians" by the foreign media. The Yilan County Government is taking action to make it safer to be a pedestrian.
Li Ya-ping, Traffic Planning Director, Yilan County Transportation Dept.: “We analyzed collisions to deepen our understanding of why accidents occur, and then enacted related improvement strategies based on these reasons. ”
Statistics from the past three years compiled by the Yilan County Government showed that there were 60 intersections where traffic accidents frequently occurred, resulting in casualties. One example is the intersection of Jiucheng South Road and section 2 of Zhongshan Road in Yilan City. There have been 20 traffic accidents over a two-year period, resulting in 23 people being injured. The county government asked local road authorities to construct pedestrian refuge islands at these dangerous intersections, adjust traffic lanes, and improve signs and markings. However, scooter drivers in a rush have started driving on the pedestrian refuge islands, causing accidents and injuries.
Resident: “There are suddenly new traffic cones. If indications aren't clear enough, then cars and scooters may still speed over.”
Chou Shun-chin, Director, Engineering Section, Yilan City Office: “Some scooter drivers aren't used to having the corners cut off. The function of pedestrian refuge islands has already emerged. They continue turning using their old habits, and run into our refuge spaces.”
Warning lights and traffic cones have been installed at pedestrian refuge islands to caution scooter drivers from driving onto them. Meanwhile, scooters and cars that drive on sidewalks can be fined NT$600 to NT$1,800. People will need to start following traffic regulations if Taiwan wants to shed its image as a living hell for pedestrians.
民眾走在斑馬線上，直接被大貨車輾斃，也有行人穿越人行道時被轉彎車輛直接撞上導致受傷，警方也到場處理，台灣交通亂象讓行人走在路上都不安全，招致「行人地獄」惡名，宜蘭縣政府提出改善策略。
宜蘭縣府交通規劃科長李雅蘋表示：「那經過這樣子的一個碰撞構圖的分析，其實我們可以更了解事故發生的原因，我們來針對這樣的原因進行相關的一個改善的策略。」
根據縣政府近3年的統計，縣內共有60個路口容易發生交通事故，導致民眾受傷，像是宜蘭市舊城南路與中山路二段路口，2年就發生20件交通事故，共23人受傷，這些路口經縣府碰撞構圖分析，已請各道路主管機關在路口施設行人庇護島和車道配置調整，以及標誌標線的改善。即便路口已增設人行庇護島，但部分路口仍發生機車為了搶快，直接騎上人行道，讓行人跌倒受傷的意外。
民眾認為：「你突然多一個三角形，怕旁邊沒有比較明顯的標註的話，車輛跟機車可能還是會撞過來。」
宜蘭市公所工務課長周舜勤表示：「主要會有一些機車騎士他還不習慣說，已經截角，庇護的功用已經出來了，依照以前的習慣轉彎，然後碰到我們庇護空間。」
公所只能在新設的庇護島，增設警示燈與三角錐，避免機車騎士騎上去，至於汽機車開上人行道，依法可以開罰600元以上至1800以下罰鍰，台灣要擺脫人行地獄汙名，仍需民眾配合遵守交通規則。