3 Pingtung crashes kill 2 cyclists, scooter rider in just 28 hours

Taipei, Dec. 8 (CNA) Two cyclists and a scooter rider were killed in three separate traffic accidents on Taiwan Highway No. 1 in Pingtung City between midday Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon last week.

The first fatality happened around midday on Tuesday at the intersection of the highway's Hesheng Road Section 1 and Gongye 6th Road, the Pingtung County Police Bureau said in a news release Monday.

A man surnamed Lee (李), 60, driving a tractor, turned right and ran over a woman, also surnamed Lee (李), 77, riding a bicycle, according to the precinct.

The woman was pronounced dead at the scene.

The second crash occurred the same night on the Jianguo Road section approaching Gaoping Bridge.

A man surnamed Fan (范), 35, had temporarily parked his passenger car in the slow-vehicle lane, and a scooter rider surnamed Cheng (鄭) collided with it.

Cheng, 69, died after being taken to a hospital.

The third crash occurred shortly before 4 p.m. Wednesday on the Jianguo Road section, where a scooter rider surnamed Tu (涂), 23, failed to maintain a safe distance and rear-ended a woman surnamed Hsieh (謝), 73, who was riding a bicycle.

Another scooter rider fell while attempting to avoid the crash, injuring several people, and Hsieh was later pronounced dead at a hospital, the police said.

The precinct advised drivers to follow speed limits, increase following distance, and slow down at night or during poor weather.

The precinct said officers will "continue strengthening traffic-safety messaging and enforcement to reduce accidents."