Stricter punishment for drunk drivers appears to have reduced casualties as the latest statistics from the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) showed that deaths from driving-while-intoxicated (DWI) accidents had decreased by 66 from January to June, compared with the same period last year. Both the number of DWI accidents and the number of people killed in DWI accidents were the lowest in six years.
Ministry statistics showed that 131 DWI accidents occurred during the period, killing 137 people. The ministry attributed the decreases to the amendment to Article 185 of the Criminal Code, which stipulates that individuals can face criminal charges if they are found to have a blood alcohol content exceeding 0.25mg/L in a breathalyzer test. Police have also devoted more personnel to cracking down on drunk drivers, the ministry said, saying both factors have effectively reduced DWI-related accidents.
Meanwhile, the total number of traffic accidents falling under the “A1” category, in which people were killed on the spot or died within 24 hours, decreased by 5.2 percent to 919. A total of 947 people were killed by accidents in the “A1” category, a drop of 5.1 percent.
Among people who died in traffic accident, 57.4 percent were motorcyclists. They were followed by pedestrians, accounting for 12.5 percent.
Prior to the amendment of Article 185, the MOTC and the Ministry of the Interior worked on amending the Road Traffic Security Rules (道路交通安全規則). In the amended rules, the maximum legal limit for alcohol in the breathalyzer test was lowered from 0.25mg/L to 0.15mg/L.
A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck off the coast of Hualien County in eastern Taiwan at 7pm yesterday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The epicenter of the temblor was at sea, about 69.9km south of Hualien County Hall, at a depth of 30.9km, it said. There were no immediate reports of damage resulting from the quake. The earthquake’s intensity, which gauges the actual effect of a temblor, was highest in Taitung County’s Changbin Township (長濱), where it measured 5 on Taiwan’s seven-tier intensity scale. The quake also measured an intensity of 4 in Hualien, Nantou, Chiayi, Yunlin, Changhua and Miaoli counties, as well as
Taiwan is to have nine extended holidays next year, led by a nine-day Lunar New Year break, the Cabinet announced yesterday. The nine-day Lunar New Year holiday next year matches the length of this year’s holiday, which featured six extended holidays. The increase in extended holidays is due to the Act on the Implementation of Commemorative and Festival Holidays (紀念日及節日實施條例), which was passed early last month with support from the opposition Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and Taiwan People’s Party. Under the new act, the day before Lunar New Year’s Eve is also a national holiday, and Labor Day would no longer be limited
COMMITMENTS: The company had a relatively low renewable ratio at 56 percent and did not have any goal to achieve 100 percent renewable energy, the report said Pegatron Corp ranked the lowest among five major final assembly suppliers in progressing toward Apple Inc’s commitment to be 100 percent carbon neutral by 2030, a Greenpeace East Asia report said yesterday. While Apple has set the goal of using 100 percent renewable energy across its entire business, supply chain and product lifecycle by 2030, carbon emissions from electronics manufacturing are rising globally due to increased energy consumption, it said. Given that carbon emissions from its supply chain accounted for more than half of its total emissions last year, Greenpeace East Asia evaluated the green transition performance of Apple’s five largest final
Taiwan is to extend its visa-waiver program for Philippine passport holders for another year, starting on Aug. 1, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said on Friday. Lin made the announcement during a reception in Taipei marking the 127th anniversary of Philippine independence and the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) in Taiwan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. The decision reflected Taiwan’s commitment to deepening exchanges with the Philippines, the statement cited Lin as saying, adding that it was a key partner under the New Southbound Policy launched in 2016. Lin also expressed hope
RSS