Light rail train hit by car after likely making illegal turn: Police

New Taipei, Sept. 28 (CNA) A light rail train was cut off and hit by a passenger car in Tamsui District, New Taipei, on Monday afternoon after the car driver made a left turn that likely did not follow the traffic signal at the time, police said.

The accident occurred at around 1 p.m. near the intersection of Binhai Road, Section 1, Lane 306, according to Tamsui police.

Police said the driver, a woman surnamed Chu (曲), was traveling along Binhai Road when she made a left turn, likely violating the traffic signal at the intersection. Her car cut off and lightly collided with the light rail train.

A breath test showed that Chu had not consumed alcohol, and police found no signs of drugged driving, but the driver was nonetheless fined under Article 48 of the Road Traffic Management and Penalty Act.

The police did not reveal the amount of the fine, but it likely ranged NT$600 and NT$1,800 (US$19–US$57) based on the law.

Following the accident, the New Taipei Metro Corp. temporarily operated trains in both directions on a single track before resuming normal service at 1:23 p.m. after police completed their investigation at the scene.

The company said nobody was injured and noted that the collision caused only minor damage to the train, but the full extent of the damage would not be determined until the train returned to the depot for inspection.