The penalty is heavy. Traffic violations equal heavier fines and violation points.
To ensure road traffic order and the safety of road users, a significant increase in fines for certain traffic violations has been implemented! On April 14, 2023, the Legislative Yuan passed the amendment to some provisions of the Road Traffic Management and Penalty Act. A total of 34 articles have been implemented. This amendment has a wide-ranging scope, with key focuses on “increasing penalties for failing to yield to pedestrians”, “implementing a Traffic Violation Point System”, “raising penalties for driving without a license”, and "enhancing penalties for dangerous driving." Particularly, the Traffic Violation Point System aims to deter drivers from repeatedly engaging in habitual traffic violations, with the most severe penalty being the suspension of the driver's license.
Mr. Yang, Cong-Xian, director of the Taichung Motor Vehicles Office, said that penalties for many violations have been aggravated in this amendment. Fines for vehicles failing to yield to pedestrians have been raised from NT$3,600 to NT$6,000; the maximum fine for riding motorcycles or driving small cars without a license has increased from NT$12,000 to NT$24,000. Repeat offenders within a 5-year period will face the maximum penalty. To prevent drivers from frequently violating traffic rules, the point accumulation period has been extended from 6 months to 1 year. If drivers accumulate 12 points within one year, their licenses will be suspended for 2 months. If you are suspended twice within 2 years, your driver’s license will be revoked in case you violate rules and accumulate another point again. The threshold for serious speeding has been lowered to 40 kilometers above the prescribed speed limit instead of 60 kilometers above the limit, with the maximum fine also being raised from NT$24,000 to NT$36,000. These changes aim to reinforce penalties for many traffic violations, all in the interest of ensuring the safety of law-abiding road users.
The scope of this amendment to the "Road Traffic Management Penalty Act" has widespread implications, with many violations seeing increased penalties. Furthermore, to enhance the deterrent effect on repeat offenders, the period for accumulating violation points has been extended, and the threshold for severe speeding has been lowered to exceeding the prescribed speed limit by 40 kilometers per hour, accompanied by increased fines. The Taichung Motor Vehicles Office once again urges all drivers and road users to strictly adhere to traffic regulations, as safe driving is the only way home.