TAIPEI: The transportation and communications authorities should establish a traffic safety tracking system as soon as possible for passengers' well-being, the Consumers' Foundation urged yesterday.

"Enacting such a system has become urgent after five tragic accidents involving large passenger buses took place in the past few weeks," said Hsieh Tien-jen, the non-government foundation's chairman.

Initial investigations of the accidents, which left a total of 12 people dead and 36 injured, showed that two were related to driver fatigue and two others were related to driver health, while the fifth resulted from mechanical failure.

With these mishaps still fresh in people's minds, Hsieh said, the authorities could no longer sit idly by and needed to create a safety tracking system that would include not only vehicle maintenance records but also bus drivers' health situations and working conditions.

Hsieh bemoaned the ministry's failure to take precautionary measures after four of the 17 tour buses inspected by the Consumer Protection Commission in April failed to meet applicable standards.

"The 24 percent failure rate was alarmingly high," Hsieh said, adding that the MOTC should have taken a cue from such a figure.

Speaking on the same occasion, Huang Yu-sheng, one of the foundation's policy advisers, said the relevant authorities should enhance information transparency on car rentals.

For instance, he said, operators should be required to provide the vehicle's roll-off date, maintenance records and accident history, and a list of its drivers and travel records from the previous two days.

"All relevant information should be included in car rental contracts," he added.

On the management of passenger buses, Huang said every bus and not just randomly selected vehicles should be inspected.

At present, operators are required only to make available representative vehicles for inspection, along with a document assuring that all other vehicles of the same model are of the same quality.

"The recent spate of accidents involving large buses has proved that this kind of quality control system has gaping black holes that should be plugged soon," Huang said.

He recommended, moreover, that provisional inspection stations should be set up at major tourist spots to facilitate roadside checks.

Wu Chia-cheng, the foundation's secretary-general, said the government should come up with legislation to restrict bus drivers' working hours.

He also suggested that consumers browse the Directorate General of Highway's website at www.thb.gov.tw to get more information about the condition of vehicles before renting a tour bus.

China Daily/CNA

(HK Edition 10/22/2009 page2)