The Ministry of Transportation and Communications is seeking to bolster enforcement of health standards for drivers.
The ministry announced the effort on Friday, a day after two people were injured in a six-
vehicle crash in Taichung that was allegedly caused by a driver with epilepsy having a seizure.
Photo: Ann Wang, REUTERS
Security camera footage of the incident shows a van over which the driver apparently lost control, barreling down a road and crashing into a noodle restaurant.
Chinese-language media said the driver and a pedestrian were in a serious condition.
The ministry said that it would ensure that drivers with epilepsy who recently had a seizure would have their license revoked.
People with epilepsy have been eligible for driver’s licenses since 2020, but they must prove that they have not had a seizure within two years before applying for the exam, the ministry said, adding that their licenses are valid for two years and they must prove that they have not had a seizure within that period when renewing their license.
Applications for renewal, including a certificate issued by a doctor no longer than three months before saying that the applicant has not had a seizure within two years, must be filed at least a month before their license expires, it said.
The ministry said it would address the issue of people with epilepsy concealing their medical history by revising the Road Traffic Management and Penalty Act (道路交通管理處罰條例).
The ministry said it is drafting an amendment that would authorize regulators to monitor people with health conditions that could affect road safety, including epilepsy, and share information with branches of the Motor Vehicles Office — the authority that issues driver’s licenses in Taiwan.
The amendment would also address dementia and visual impediments, and allow regulators to add medical conditions as they see fit, it said.
The Department of Railways and Highways is heading the drafting process, which also involves other agencies and advocacy groups, department Director Lin Fu-san (林福山) said.
Early discussions have led to a general consensus among the parties involved, Lin added.
The amendment would require drivers with certain health conditions to take a driving fitness test to keep their license, he said.
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