ROAD SAFETY/Road safety group urges Legislature to reject easing of traffic penalties

Taipei, March 23 (CNA) Local pedestrian rights group Taiwan Vision Zero Alliance and its supporters on Saturday took to the road around the Legislative Yuan to call for the rejection of Cabinet-proposed amendments to a traffic penalty act, which would remove some current violations and reduce penalties for others.

The proposed amendments in question were written for Taiwan's Road Traffic Management and Penalty Act which was initially greenlit by the Cabinet on March 7 before being taken to the Legislature for review.

The changes would mean that members of the public will no longer be able to report 10 "minor" traffic violations from an original list of 59 and would effectively ease punishments on traffic violations.

According to the proposed amendments, the 10 "minor" violations which have fines of up to NT$1,200 or less can no longer be reported by the public, with the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) citing the heavy burden placed on police by skyrocketing reports of traffic violations as the reason for the changes.

Taiwan Vision Zero Alliance had released a statement on March 7 to condemn the proposed amendments before initiating the march on Saturday.

At the march, the alliance said it believes the underlying issues with Taiwan's road problems are the lack of respect for traffic education and injustice from authorities.

Pulling back regulations just to ease the burden on police officers is a regressive move, the alliance said.

The march was attended by around 200 people, including members of the alliance and lawmakers who publicly called out five demands, including asking the Legislature to reject the proposed amendments.

The group implored the Legislature to conduct public forums to listen to the voices of the general public.

The alliance also called for improvements to road infrastructure, the establishment of driver reeducation and reforms to traffic law enforcement.