The ROC Legislature passed amendments to the Road Traffic Management and Penalty Act Jan. 14, providing stiffer penalties for driving under the influence of alcohol or narcotics.
The maximum fine was raised to NT$90,000 (US$3,113) from the current NT$60,000, while drivers committing second offenses within five years will automatically receive the maximum fine. Those who fail to stop at police check points for sobriety tests will also have to pay NT$90,000, have their vehicles impounded, their driver’s license revoked and be required to attend traffic safety classes.
“There was a strong consensus among ruling and opposition party legislators that the law should be a strong deterrent to drunken driving,” said Wei Ming-ku, Democratic Progressive Party convener of the Legislative Yuan Transportation Committee. “We want to prevent the damage and heartbreak caused by drinking and driving.”
Lawmakers also approved revisions upping the penalty for motorists who race on public roads, remove their vehicle’s muffler or otherwise create noise pollution, prohibiting them from applying for a new driver’s license for three years, in addition to the current fines and license suspension.
The amended law also provides regulations governing motorcycles over 550 cubic centimeters in engine displacement. (THN)