TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Keelung City said Friday that pedestrians who repeatedly break traffic rules by crossing roads illegally will be fined NT$500 (US$15.38) starting next year.

From Jan. 1 to Feb. 2, fines will be imposed on repeat offenders who have received prior warnings. From Feb. 3 to April 30, fines will be issued immediately without warnings, with enforcement potentially extended based on results, per CNA.

Violations include crossing roads against traffic signals, using unauthorized locations, or failing to use crosswalks. Police will patrol 20 high-risk pedestrian areas daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for both education and enforcement.

This initiative follows positive outcomes from the city's previous efforts to improve pedestrian safety. These include stricter law enforcement and upgrades to infrastructure, such as green crosswalks and traffic signals.

Road accidents in Keelung decreased by 7.1% compared to last year from January to September. Injuries dropped by 6.2% and fatalities by four, according to the Ministry of Transportation and Communication's report on traffic safety.

Keelung's traffic fatality rate is 5.52 deaths per 100,000 people. This ranks third lowest in Taiwan, following Taipei City at 3.38 and New Taipei City at 4.85.