New regulations on window films for new cars are expected to take effect next year after the Ministry of Transportation and Communications next month issues a safety directive about its use, Deputy Minister of Transportation and Communications Chen Yen-po (陳彥伯) said yesterday at a meeting of the legislature’s Transportation Committee.
He was responding to questions by Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Hung Meng-kai (洪孟凱) about the safety of window films, with Hung saying that Taiwan has neither instruments to measure visible light transmittance (VLT), or how much visible light passes through a window or glass, nor a mandate or standards that auto manufacturers are required to follow.
Japan mandates a VLT rate of at least 70 percent, while the US allows a range of 20 to 80 percent, and Germany bans using window films on front windshields, Hung said.
Photo: Liao Yao-tung, Taipei Times
Taiwan should set a VLT standard, which should apply to both new vehicles and those currently in use, he said.
Car owners who fail to comply with the regulations should be penalized, or they would simply flout the rules, he said.
Chen said that a safety directive on the use of window films in vehicles would be announced next month, which would apply to new vehicles sold on the market next year.
Those who do not follow the directive would be punished, he added.
Highway Bureau Director-General Chen Wen-juei (陳文瑞) said on the sidelines of the meeting that the directive was designed to encourage safe use of window films.
“When the directive becomes part of the Road Traffic Security Rules (道路交通安全規則) next year, we would stipulate when the new policy would take effect and vehicles that would be subject to the new rules,” Chen Wen-juei said, adding that Minister of Transportation and Communications Chen Shih-kai (陳世凱) has instructed that the policy should be implemented next year.
Owners of vehicles that fail to pass window film tests would be punished in accordance with the Road Traffic Management and Penalty Act (道路交通管理處罰條例), the bureau said.
The license plates of vehicles that fail inspections would be suspended if the owners fail to address the issue within a month and apply for a second inspection, or if they fail the inspection for a second time, it said.
Owners whose vehicles fail to undergo regular inspections or temporary inspections within a prescribed period would be fined NT$900 to NT$1,800, it said.
Owners whose vehicles failed inspections and have not applied for a second inspection for more than six months would have their license plates revoked, the bureau said.
The ministry has consulted practices in other countries and proposed different policies for commercial and non-commercial vehicles.
For non-commercial vehicles, the VLT rate for the front windshield should exceed 70 percent, it said.
The ministry is still debating whether not to impose VLT standards or at least a 30 percent rate for rear windshields and side windows in the back, and whether side windows in front should be more than 70 percent or at least 35 percent.
For taxis, the VLT rate should exceed 70 percent for the front windshield and side windows in front, while rear windshields and side windows in the back should exceed 35 percent.
Details would be finalized before the directive is announced next month.
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