00:01What does this green flashing light mean to you?
00:03It might seem like speed up, but it actually means
00:06pedestrians should not start crossing the road.
00:09But a lot of people don't know that.
00:10Do you know what the signal means?
00:13Maybe to be faster in the end? Yeah? No?
00:16I think the speed of young people's speed
00:19will make people feel that they need to speed.
00:23Because it's the same as the image of the camera
00:25and the distance.
00:26It's the same as the same.
00:27So it's the same as the normal people on the road.
00:30It's the same as the speed of speed.
00:33When pedestrians get the green lights across,
00:35this little figure starts walking.
00:37But when there are only a few seconds left,
00:39it starts running.
00:41And traffic officials say they know it's often misunderstood.
00:44Now, crossing won't count as jaywalking,
00:46but you should avoid crossing if possible.
00:48And unlike before, you won't be fined if you do.
00:51Officials say the new regulations
00:53are meant to keep pedestrians and drivers safe.
00:55But it's also sparked conversations
00:57about accessibility for older people
00:59and people with disabilities
01:00who may need more time to cross the street.
01:03If there are small roads,
01:04I don't know why we have to wait for a long time.
01:07But if there are small roads,
01:08it will be very short.
01:10There are 50 or 70 seconds.
01:13Now it's still good.
01:14If it's older, it's probably 100 seconds.
01:16Taiwan's cabinet says it might rethink how long people need to cross the road,
01:21especially near hospitals and long-term care facilities.
01:24And they'll be phasing out this flashing green light by the end of the year
01:28to avoid confusing pedestrians.
01:30This comes as Taiwan's road safety is under the international spotlight
01:34after a 2022 CNN report labeled the country as a pedestrian hell.
01:39It's been trying to make things better for Taiwan's walkers
01:42by expanding sidewalks, adding crosswalk barriers and pedestrian islands.
01:47And now officials are hoping that clearing up this mixed signal
01:50will also help keep Taiwan's roads safer.
01:53Justin Wu and Tiffany Wong in Taipei for Taiwan Plus.
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