Every Stop Counts: Evaluating the impact of a new penalty amendment for non-yielding drivers on reducing road traffic injuries and deaths in Taiwan

Pedestrian safety remains a critical concern worldwide, particularly in motorcycle-dominant settings such as Taiwan, where failure to yield the right-of-way to pedestrians is a prevalent issue. In response to growing public concerns over pedestrian safety, the Taiwan government implemented stricter monetary penalties for drivers failing to yield to pedestrians on June 30, 2023, representing a major legislative change aimed at deterring unsafe driving behavior, improving compliance with traffic laws, and fostering a more pedestrian-friendly road culture. This study evaluates whether this major legislative change has achieved its intended goals by examining its impact on the frequency and severity of road traffic incidents. Using a quasi-experimental study design, we found that the policy led to a gradual decline in incident frequency but an immediate reduction in crash severity. Its effect on incident frequency was particularly pronounced for pedestrian-involved crashes, with injury risks decreasing by approximately 11% for both car-to-pedestrian (RR = 0.89; 95% CI: 0.86, 0.92) and motorcycle-to-pedestrian crashes (RR = 0.89; 95% CI: 0.86, 0.91). In contrast, the likelihood of fatal outcomes dropped more sharply, with a 40% reduction observed across all crashes (RR = 0.60; 95 % CI: 0.42, 0.85). Our findings suggest that drivers may have quickly adapted their driving patterns to comply with the policy, reducing fatalities among crashes that did occur, while the slower decline in incident frequency likely reflects the time needed for broader behavioral changes, such as improved yielding, attentiveness, and rule adherence, to become routine. Notably, the policy's impact on reducing severity was stronger under low-visibility road conditions such as poorly lit settings, underscoring its particular effectiveness in mitigating risks in challenging driving scenarios. The findings underscore the importance of targeted legislative actions, such as stricter penalties, as an effective approach to promoting yielding behavior and enhancing pedestrian safety.