Automatic driver assist involved in most collisions with freeway maintenance vehicles: 29 crashes in just 3 months

collision with crash attenuation trailer

March 31, 2023March 31, 2023 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment automatic driver assist, freeway accident, highway police, national highway

Taiwan’s National Highway Police Bureau is warning drivers to not be overdependent on automated driver assist systems after reviewing data on the causes of 29 incidents involving cars rear-ending freeway construction and maintenance vehicles so far this year. Police said that an increasing number of cars are equipped with advanced driver assistance Systems (ADAS). While these can reduce the burden on drivers, the systems are not flawless, and the driver still needs to maintain awareness and be able to maintain

crane truck suspended in air after boom collapse

Health and Safety

March 30, 2023March 30, 2023 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment construction industry, industrial accident, Kaohsiung City, workplace-safety, Xiaogang District

A mobile crane truck was left suspended in the air after the crane toppled over on a construction site in Kaohsiung City’s Xiaogang District this morning, but fortunately nobody was injured. According to a preliminary investigation by the Kaohsiung City Labor Bureau, the crane toppled over at around 8:45 am due to the outrigger not being placed on firm ground. Inspectors found that the operator had placed the outrigger on a drain cover, and the cover broke when the operator

offshore wind tower platform where body was found March 7

Breaking News

March 29, 2023March 29, 2023 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment people-smuggling, Taiwan Strait

A total of seven decomposing corpses found washed up on Taiwan’s southwest coast, and a partially mummified corpse found on an offshore wind tower base have all been identified as Vietnamese, and are suspected to be linked to a people smuggling operation. A partially mummified corpse was found by a contractor on a wind tower platform around 10 kilometers offshore from the Port of Taichung on March 7. Because the platform was more than 10 meters above the sea surface,

composit image showing former president Ma Ying-jeou and municipal officials bowing to dead baboon

Society

March 29, 2023March 29, 2023 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment Kuomingtang, Ma Ying-jeou

The first former president of the Republic of China to visit the People’s Republic of China may have made international headlines in recent days, but the leading news story in Taiwan was the tragic death of a baboon who was found fatally injured upon capture, Monday, March 27. [See previous story: African baboon caught after more than 17 days on the loose in northern Taiwan] An analysis of headlines from a wide range of Taiwanese news outlets collected by a

composite image showing baboon crossing the road and tranquilized in a net after capture

Animals

March 27, 2023March 27, 2023 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment Taoyuan City

A baboon believed to have escaped from a zoo was finally caught today after leading search teams on a cat and mouse chase through rural districts of Taoyuan City over a period of around 9 days. The olive baboon was first sighted outside a factory in an industrial area in Pingzhen District March 10. After another sighting March 18, the head of Zhenxing village sought help from the nearby Leofoo Village Theme Park Zoo. While Leofoo Village has more than

Seawolf 400 autonomous underwater vehicle

Business and Economy

March 27, 2023March 27, 2023 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment autonomous underwater vehicles, defense, submarines

Taiwanese UAV manufacturer Thunder Tiger (8033.TW) has revealed a new autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) designed to enhance Taiwan’s defense capability. Thunder Tiger executives introduced the prototype Seawolf 400 AUV combat system to President Tsai Ing-wen during the president’s visit to the Asian Drone Innovation and Application R&D Center in Chiayi County, Saturday, March 25. The Seawolf 400 was developed by Thunder Tiger in collaboration with Taiwan Swarm Innovation Inc., the Ministry of National Defense, and National Chung-Shan Institute of Science

Health and Safety

March 25, 2023March 25, 2023 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment road safety, statistics

The Ministry of Transport and Communications today released data on traffic accidents in 2022, and the report shows that there were 4% more deaths from traffic accidents than the previous year, and the highest number of deaths since 2013. According to the MOTC report, 3,085 people died on Taiwan’s roads in 2022, with the number of accidents, injuries, and fatalities all up more than 4% year on year. The total number of accidents reported was 375,632, and there were a

Animals

March 23, 2023March 23, 2023 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment Taoyuan City

A baboon first spotted in a southern district of Taoyuan City March 10 is still on the loose 13 days later, despite the efforts of local residents, and employees from a nearby zoo. Initial reports assumed that the olive baboon had escaped from the nearby Leofoo Village Theme Park Zoo. However, zoo staff conducted a careful headcount of their animals and concluded that none are missing. Hsinchu Zoo also denied the animal was theirs, stating that they had no baboons

Traffic Accidents

March 23, 2023March 23, 2023 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment military exercises, Taoyuan City

A man remains under observation in an intensive care unit three days after his car slammed into the back of a army tank during a military exercise in Taoyuan City Monday night, March 20. According to media reports, the 33-year-old driver of a black sedan crashed into the back of a CM11 tank occupying the outer lane of Provincial Highway 31 in Yangmei District at around 11:30 pm. The civilian vehicle was severely damaged and Deng was rushed to Yangmei

composite image showing ship's bow and damage to wharf pier

Health and Safety

March 22, 2023March 22, 2023 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment drunk driving, Port of Kaohsiung, shipping

A pilot who was found to be drunk on the job after a container ship slammed into a wharf at the Port of Kaohsiung, Monday, March 20, will not be charged by police, but all maritime pilots in Taiwan will face mandatory alcohol breath testing before starting work following the incident. According to Taiwan’s Chinese language press, Mr Hsu, the pilot in charge of guiding the 74,651-ton vessel Hyundai Tokyo, was found to have an alcohol level of 0.19 mg/l

Health and Safety

March 22, 2023March 22, 2023 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment Taipei City

A woman in Taipei City’s upscale Tianmu neighborhood was seen perched precariously on a 5th-floor balcony rooftop tending her garden recently, and concerned neighbors uploaded pictures to social media. The post went viral, and drew attention of TV reporters who went to interview the woman yesterday, Tuesday, March 21. The daredevil gardener, who remains unnamed in reports, and is said to be in her 70s, told reporters that she had been growing vegetables on the rooftop outside her balcony ever

← Previous

Month: March 2023

Automatic driver assist involved in most collisions with freeway maintenance vehicles: 29 crashes in just 3 months

Crane topples over on Kaohsiung City construction site

8 bodies washed up on Taiwan’s southwest coast in recent weeks suspected linked to people smuggling

Former President’s historic China visit overshadowed by death of baboon

African baboon caught after more than 17 days on the loose in northern Taiwan

Unmanned combat subs to strengthen Taiwan’s asymmetrical combat power

Taiwan traffic deaths in 2022 up year on year and highest since 2013

Baboon on the loose in Taoyuan City

Civilian driver seriously injured after crashing into tank during military exercises on public road

Maritime pilots face mandatory alcohol testing following container ship accident at Taiwanese port

Daredevil gardener on 5th-floor rooftop draws concern of neighbors in Taipei City