TAIPEI (TVBS News) — A devastating traffic accident claimed three lives and left 15 others injured when an elderly driver plowed through a crowded intersection in New Taipei City's (新北市) Sanxia District (三峽區) Monday (May 19). The deadly crash unfolded at 4:04 p.m. near Beida Elementary School (北大國小) at the junction of Guoguang Street (國光街) and Guocheng Street (國成街), just as students were streaming out after classes.
Dashcam footage captured the harrowing moment when the vehicle sped through the red light and barreled into a group of motorcyclists and pedestrians crossing the intersection. Blood-stained schoolbooks and crumpled motorcycles littered the roadway as stunned witnesses stood paralyzed with shock before rushing to help the victims. The out-of-control vehicle continued approximately 140 meters down the street before finally coming to a stop after colliding with a central divider.
Police have identified the driver as a 78-year-old man who lost consciousness immediately after the collision and remains in a coma. Emergency medical personnel rushed him along with the other victims to nearby hospitals, where three people, including two students, were pronounced dead. Traffic authorities in New Taipei City, Taiwan's most populous municipality surrounding the capital, have launched a comprehensive investigation to determine whether the crash resulted from a medical episode, mechanical failure, or driver error. ◼
