Increased fines for driving without a license took effect yesterday, with the Ministry of Transportation and Communications saying that the changes would hopefully deter illegal road use.
The fine for riding a small motorcycle without a license rose to NT$36,000, and increased to NT$60,000 for cars.
People caught driving without a license twice within 10 years would be fined the maximum, while those who contravene the rule three times within 10 years would face additional fines on top of the maximum, the ministry said, adding that there is no limit to the number of times a person could be fined.
Photo: CNA
The vehicle would be impounded immediately and illegal drivers would have to pay to attend a traffic safety course, the ministry said.
Previous efforts to curb licenseless driving included mandatory traffic safety courses, but the rules had no noticeable effect, as incidents have continued to rise, it said.
Cases of minors driving without a license totaled 20,000, last year, while cases involving adults totaled 260,000, ministry data showed.
A three-hour traffic safety course, costing NT$200 per hour, has been introduced for people caught driving without a license, with the course including material on how to identify traffic risks, how to apply for and take a driving test, and a primer on traffic regulations, the ministry said.
The course would help people attain legal driving status, it said.
Separately, a draft amendment to Article 207 of the Regulations on Establishing Traffic Signs and Indicating Lines (道路交通標誌標線號誌設置規則) aims to remove the fine for pedestrians who step onto a crossing when the green light is flashing, the ministry said.
The regulations say that when a pedestrian signal is green and not flashing, people may cross, but when it is flashing, those on the crossing should pick up their pace, while those who have not yet set foot on the crossing may not do so or face a NT$500 fine.
The changes, expected to take effect in April, state that pedestrians on the crossing when the lights begin flashing should “cross as quickly as possible,” while those who have not yet set foot on the crossing should “avoid doing so.”
The flashing green pedestrian signal is not meant to prompt people to rush to cross the street, but rather to remind them to stop and assess the situation, Road Affairs and Safety Department Director Wu Tung-ling (吳東凌) said.
The amendment aims to better protect pedestrian safety, particularly for elderly people, Wu said.
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