Barrier jumpers' days numbered

This article was published by the Taiwan Headlines on September 6, 2006. It reports that according to the Taiwan Railway Administration, surveillance systems installed at the 10 most dangerous level crossings in Taiwan were recently activated, in order to nab motorists and pedestrians who attempt to cross railway tracks while ignoring traffic signs.

Violators caught by the surveillance systems will be fined NT$12,000 (US$375). If the barriers are damaged, the Taiwan Railway Administration is entitled to make an additional claim of NT$14,000 from the violators for each broken barrier.

According to the administration, 98 percent of the accidents occurring at level crossings can be attributed to traffic violations by pedestrians as well as motorists. Statistics show that an average of 3,700 barriers were damaged by motor vehicles each year from 2002 to 2005. This means that an average of more than 10 barriers were broken everyday.

Specifically, 18-wheelers or other large trucks account for the majority of damage to barriers. These vehicles can cause a serious accident if any one of them breaks down as it crosses the rail line or if it gets stuck on the railroad tracks during heavy traffic.

Now, with the new surveillance equipment, the Taiwan Railway Administration aims to reduce the number of incidents to below 50 percent of current levels. Each surveillance system cost NT$250,000 to NT$300,000 to install, depending on the number of cameras that needed to be installed at each location. The new surveillance system will function around the clock. This will enable the administration to substantiate each claim it makes with photographic evidence.

The Taiwan Railway Administration recently switched barriers at the most dangerous level crossings from bamboo sticks to fiber-reinforced plastics. Red and white reflection stickers are put on the barriers to remind pedestrians and motorists of the level crossing ahead.