News

To reduce the traffic accidents in older adults, the Nantou County Government, in collaboration with the Traffic Police Brigade, Police Bureau, the Nantou Motor Vehicles Station, the Nantou County Doctor Road and the Dunhe Community Development Association of Caotun Township, held a road safety awareness campaign for older adults at the square in front of the Dunhe Neighborhood Activity Center on the 15th. The campaign aims to raise older adults’ awareness of the 5 steps when crossing an intersection “stop, look, turn, wave, move” by leading older adults to cross an intersection. Secretary-general Hung Jui-chih of the Nantou County Government even accompanied older adults to actually see the blind spot on a big truck and urged everyone to pay extra attention to the radius difference between the inner wheels of large vehicles to enhance the road safety awareness of older adults. Secretary-general Hung said that according to the statistics of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, 82 people died within 30 days in road traffic accidents in Nantou County in 2021, among which 43 people (over 65 years old) died, accounting for 52.43%. Not walking on pedestrian crossings in accordance with regulations, not paying attention to oncoming vehicles when crossing the road and deteriorated physiological functions due to aging are the causes of the high proportion of traffic accidents in the elderly groups among all age groups. The correct concept for the elderly to cross the intersection and improve their self-protection ability. The road safety awareness campaign co-organized by the Dunhe community aims to promote the right concept when crossing the intersection to older adults and enhance their ability in protecting themselves. In the awareness campaign, the staff of the Motor Vehicles Station taught older adults what a blind spot of large vehicles is. Secretary-general Hung and several older adults took turns sitting in the driver’s seat to see what a driver sees through the left and right rear mirrors to understand the size of a blind spot. After that, the driver demonstrated driving and making a turn. The wheels ran over the balloons, with the bursting sound one after another, which made older adults realize the importance of staying away from large vehicles. They said the sound was terrifying and that it’s so important to stay away from the big cars.