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Leniency may be granted to drivers over ETC offenses

The Cabinet admitted yesterday that fining motorists who accidentally drove into the new Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) lanes on the freeway may be unfair.

"This matter will be discussed further," said Government Information Office (GIO) Minister Cheng Wen-tsang (鄭文燦), approached for comment by reporters yesterday morning.

"As I said on Monday, [Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌)] has asked Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) officials to review this issue and come up with solutions. We expect their responses tomorrow," Cheng said.

Currently, the speed limit for ETC-exclusive lanes is 40kph. Those caught speeding or driving in ETC lanes without the necessary onboard units [OBUs] installed in their vehicles will receive fines ranging from NT$3,000 (US$93) to NT$6,000.

The MOTC has been inundated with complaints since the ETC system was launched on Feb. 10. Some motorists have complained that OBUs are overpriced and may actually obstruct their view while driving. In addition, numerous accidents have occurred as a result of motorists making sudden lane changes when realizing that they have mistakenly entered ETC-only lanes.

Cheng said that Su continued to back the ETC system, which has been successfully deployed in countries such as the US.
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