Man in Taipei injured after taxi slams into 13 vehicles

Taipei, May 30 (CNA) A man in Taipei's Da'an District sustained a leg fracture and more than a dozen vehicles were damaged after a 56-year-old driver crashed his taxi into them on Thursday night, according to police.

The incident happened at around 9 p.m. near the Taipei Taiwan Temple on Aiguo East Road, the Da'an police precinct said in a news release.

The driver of a "diverse taxi service" vehicle, identified by his surname Chen (陳), was heading east on Aiguo East Road when he suddenly veered off course, striking three parked cars and 10 scooters along the roadside before coming to a stop, the precinct said.

A 36-year-old man surnamed Chang (張), who was about to ride his parked scooter, was injured, police said.

Chang sustained an open fracture on his right lower leg but was conscious before being taken to the hospital, while Chen had no obvious external injuries and tested negative for alcohol in his system, police said.

The incident is still being investigated.

According to various social media posts, the driver initially struck three cars parked along the side of the road before reversing and continuing down the street, where he collided with a row of parked scooters.

Netizens also pointed out that bystanders who witnessed the incident pulled Chen out of his car with the latter cited as being "tired."

A diverse taxi service is a government initiative in Taiwan that provides a legal income-generating opportunity for drivers who own their own vehicles. Often referred to as the "Taiwanese version of Uber," it allows passengers to book rides through online platforms and make payments electronically.