Major Accident in Wanli, New Taipei: Trailer Loaded with Steel Bars Collides with Bus
News Summary
On July 23, 2024, a serious traffic accident occurred in Wanli District, New Taipei City. A trailer loaded with steel bars, suspected of losing control due to overloading, collided with a Kuokuang Motor Transport bus traveling in the opposite lane, resulting in one death and 14 injuries. After the accident, police recovered more than 600 steel bars from the scene, and together with the empty vehicle weight, the total weight reached 39 tons—about 4 tons over the permitted maximum. The driver, Mr. Yeh, is under investigation on suspicion of negligent homicide. Because part of the vehicle had been cut apart at the scene, the police are still considering whether post-incident weighing can be used to prove overloading.
Technology-Based Prevention Proposal
If the vehicle had been equipped with a smart onboard weight monitoring system in advance, it would have been possible to monitor in real time during loading whether the weight exceeded the limit. This system can simultaneously upload vehicle weight data and route information to a monitoring platform, compare it with permitted weight thresholds, and issue anomaly alerts. Once overloading is detected, it immediately triggers a warning, helping to prevent accidents in advance and providing valid evidence for post-incident investigations.
Strengthening load management through technology not only protects road user safety but also reduces the risk of unintentional violations by companies and drivers.
Reference link: https://today.line.me/tw/v3/article/9mlQjrK