《TAIPEI TIMES》 Officials proposing much tougher DUI legislation

By Shelley Shan / Staff reporter

The Ministry of Transportation and Communications is planning to toughen sanctions against drunk drivers following several drunk-driving incidents over the past week, Minister of Transportation and Communications Wang Kwo-tsai （王國材） said yesterday.

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The Kaohsiung District Court on Monday detained a man surnamed Huang （黃）, 38, for allegedly driving under the influence （DUI） and running into a family of four on a crosswalk, which resulted in the death of the mother and injured the others.

On Tuesday, comedian Sung Shao-ching （宋少卿） was arrested for driving while his blood alcohol level was nearly four times over the legal limit, his fifth drunk-driving incident.

“We have been giving drunk drivers heavier fines since April 2019, when the Road Traffic Management and Penalty Act （道路交通管理處罰條例） was amended, and there has been a decline of DUI incidents over the past 10 years,” Wang said.

“However, the ministry maintains a ‘zero tolerance’ policy against drunk driving and the crackdown must continue,” he added.

Wang told reporters on the sidelines of a meeting of the Legislative Yuan’s Transportation Committee that the ministry would propose further amendments to the act, to hold drivers and their passengers accountable.

Specifically, vehicles of first-time drunk drivers would be confiscated on the spot if they cause a death or severe injury, Wang said, adding that the existing regulations only confiscate the vehicle of those caught driving drunk more than once.

A DUI recidivist is someone who repeats the offense within a five-year period, but the ministry is proposing to extend the period to 10 years, Wang said.

A person riding with a drunk driver is fined NT$600 to NT$3,000, but the ministry is proposing to increase the penalty to NT$3,000 to NT$15,000, he said.

The Ministry of Justice is considering proposing an amendment to the Criminal Code, while the Ministry of Health and Welfare plans to address the issue of drivers with an alcohol addiction, Wang added.

新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES