Taipei: The faster-paced walking animation on some pedestrian signals is set to be phased out across Taiwan by the end of 2026 to prevent pedestrians from rushing across intersections, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) announced Thursday.

According to Focus Taiwan, the decision was made during a road safety briefing at the Executive Yuan on Wednesday, as stated by Wu Tung-ling, head of the MOTC Department of Railways, Highways and Road Safety. While the flashing green signal that appears in the final seconds of a pedestrian light will remain, the faster-paced walking animation used in some areas will be removed.

The Executive Yuan has requested the ministry to collaborate with local governments on the necessary adjustments. Wu mentioned that the signal designs are expected to be standardized nationwide by the end of this year. MOTC data indicates that only Chiayi County, Kinmen County, and Lienchiang County (Matsu) currently do not implement the fast-walking signal.

Separately, the ministry announced an amendment to traffic regulations, stating that pedestrians should “avoid” entering a crosswalk once the pedestrian signal begins flashing green, instead of being “prohibited” from doing so. This change addresses issues with the previous wording, which led to some pedestrians being fined for jaywalking, thus removing the legal basis for such penalties.

The MOTC emphasized that the countdown timer on pedestrian lights is designed to assist pedestrians in determining whether they have enough time to cross safely. If the remaining time is insufficient or the signal is flashing, pedestrians are advised to assess their walking speed and wait for the next green light to avoid accidents caused by underestimating crossing time or rushing across the road.