The Impact of Enforcement on Pedestrians: A Difference-in-Difference Model for Transportation Safety Policy in Taiwan

The research examines the impact of Taiwan's 2024 pedestrian safety policy amendment, which increased penalties for failing to yield to pedestrians. Analysis of 528 data points from 2023-2024 using a Difference-in-Difference (DID) methodology revealed significant temporal and spatial variations in effectiveness. Early 2024 showed increased accident rates, particularly in January, but demonstrated improvement by mid-year, with notable reductions in July—August compared to 2023. Infrastructure analysis indicated varying risk levels across intersection types, with unsigned intersections showing the highest risk coefficient and signalized intersections and flashing-signal intersections having the lowest risk. Metropolitan areas exhibited more significant fluctuations than rural regions. Based on these findings, the study recommends implementing differentiated time management mechanisms, prioritizing infrastructure improvements at high-risk intersections, and establishing region-specific enforcement strategies. Additionally, the research emphasizes the importance of enhancing pedestrian safety education and driver awareness to address Taiwan's longstanding "car-superior" traffic culture and improve overall road safety outcomes.