Bus Driver’s Illegal U-turn plus Speeding Motorcycle a Fatal Combination

Two men in their early twenties died last night, after the motorcycle they were riding smashed into a bus doing an illegal U-turn across four lanes of traffic and a painted median strip on a road in Ilan County. The motorcycle rider is suspected to have been exceeding the speed limit at the time.

The driver of the Kamalan Bus company’s intercity bus claimed that he had just dropped a passenger off and didn’t notice the crosshatched median strip, which denoted that traffic must not cross, and a U-turn is definitely out of the question.

At around 10:00pm last night, December 3, a 22 year-old rider and 20 year-old pillion passenger, both male, were unable to avoid slamming into the bus as the coach driver sought the most convenient and expedient way of reaching the exit lane on the other side of the dual-carriage roadway, in Jiaoxi Township, Ilan County.

The motorcycle rider, named Lee was described in media reports as obviously dead at the scene, with his skull split open and brains exposed. The pillion passenger, was rushed to hospital with a broken arm and severe head injuries, but was declared dead after arrival.

The motorcycle caught fire after impact, and the bus driver, Mr Huang, grabbed a fire extinguisher and extinguished the flames.

Police said that for breaching regulations involving illegally crossing the road markings, the driver will be liable for a fine between NT$600 and NT$1,800. They will also investigate the driver’s culpability in the death of the young men.

Taiwan English News is an independent publication with no corporate funding. If you found this article informative, and would like to support my work, please buy me a coffee or support me on Patreon. Subscribe to Taiwan English News for free to receive the latest news via email. Advertising queries are welcome. Share, like, comment below.