ATV activities have always been illegal in the Hengchun Peninsula of Pingtung, and despite strict enforcement by officials, some operators still attract customers during the Lunar New Year holidays. Yesterday, a tragic accident occurred where a tourist died after falling off an ATV. A 27-year-old tourist surnamed Gu and his friends rented ATVs for fun.
Yesterday afternoon at 6 PM, while driving on a private hillside in Sigou Village, Hengchun Township, Gu accidentally overturned the vehicle, was crushed by the ATV, and was urgently taken to the hospital by his friends. He was declared dead at 8 PM due to severe intracranial hemorrhage. The police have requested an autopsy to determine if the operator is criminally liable for causing death through injury.
Place where the accident happened near Sigou Village
Investigations revealed that Gu, from Chiayi, took advantage of the Lunar New Year holidays to vacation in the Hengchun Peninsula with 5 friends. Yesterday afternoon, the six rented ATVs from a Hengchun Town operator and rode in a private hilly area in Sigouli, which has varied terrain. Gu lost control on a slope, causing him and the ATV to tumble down, leading to unconsciousness and injury under the vehicle’s weight. His friends managed to extract him and rushed him to Hengchun Tourism Hospital, where he was pronounced dead from severe injuries around 8 PM before the police were notified.
Renting ATVs for thrill rides in mountains or grasslands within Kenting National Park has been a practice for years. Operators’ routes include Shuifrog Cave, Shiniu Creek, and the mountainous areas around Hengchun Chiniuling, all on national park public land. Operators do not inform tourists of the illegality or insure against accidents. When fined 3000 NTD, they realize the seriousness of the situation, but such practices have become rare under stringent enforcement in recent years.
According to the law, ATVs are prohibited on roads, and the substation has organized special duties for enforcement. The location of yesterday’s fatal accident was private land outside the national park area. The operator had no business registration, insurance, or safety measures, leaving consumers at a disadvantage in case of major accidents.
The head of the County Transportation and Tourism Department, Huang Guowei, mentioned that the Tourism Bureau of the Ministry of Transportation issued “ATV Management Guidelines” last year. According to the guidelines, ATV activities are prohibited on domestic beaches and include national parks, roads, river areas, state-owned forests, and protective forests. A draft county ATV management ordinance has been prepared, specifying regulations, required application and approval for activity venues, and penalties. The potential venues must be recreational lands, which will be submitted to the county council for review. ATV activities at Manzhou Gangzai Beach will be legally introduced in a designated area, with assistance provided for land transfer and demarcation.