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Motorists skipping out on tolls could face fines: bureau

Motorists driving on highways that require payment using the Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) system may face court injunctions if their unpaid toll fees exceed NT$360.

Wu Mu-fu (吳木富), a division chief at the Taiwan Area National Freeway Bureau, said yesterday that the bureau was calculating the total number of violations in its database.

The bureau is scheduled to turn over its compiled statistics to the courts in July, he said.

"The bureau is entitled to demand compensation from motorists within five to 10 years of a violation," Wu said.

"We are not too pressed for time," Wu said.

Motorists are charged a toll fee of NT$40 at toll booths.

The decision means that motorists who drive through toll barriers in ETC lanes without ETC payment cards more than nine times could face a penalty from the legal authorities.

The bureau launched the freeway ETC system in February last year. Since then, the bureau has found that an average of 8,000 to 9,000 motor vehicles pass toll barriers in ETC-only lanes without ETC cards each month.

Motorists who are penalized for ignoring the tolls will be required to pay the unpaid toll fees and additional fines for driving in the ETC lanes by mistake. Fees will accrue if the payments are delayed.

The law requires that motorists driving in ETC lanes by mistake pay their unpaid toll fees before the 12th of each month. They must pay an additional NT$600 fine.

Should motorists make the payment after the due date, they will also be charged an additional NT$3,000.
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