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Taipei, June 30 (CNA) Public parking lots must reserve around 2 percent of their spaces for pregnant women and families with children aged 6 or under, according to transportation regulations that will go into effect on Sunday.
The parking lots affected by this program are those affiliated with public places, including department stores, train stations, airports, hospitals and amusement parks.
The new rule stipulates that such family-friendly parking spaces should be at least 2.5 meters in width and 5.5 meters in length to provide safe and convenient access for the women and children.
The establishment of those parking spaces should be completed by Dec. 15, and people who meet the criteria could obtain specific parking permits from hospitals and public health centers, said the Ministry of Transportation and Communications.
Drivers who occupy the parking spaces illegally will be fined between NT$600-NT$1,200 (US$20-US$40) after the grace period ends on June 29, 2019.
There are other new transportation regulations that will take effect on Sunday, including heavier penalties on vehicles parking near bus stations, which threatens the safety of bus passengers.
Motorcycles that park within 10 meters from bus stations will be fined between NT$900-NT$1,200, compared with the current NT$600-NT$900.
Likewise, small vehicles will be fined NT$1,200, instead of a range between NT$900-NT$1,200, the ministry said.
In addition, the time limit for removing broken-down vehicles on freeway or highway shoulders will be reduced from two hours to one hour, with violators subject to a fine of NT$600-NT$1,200.
Meanwhile, it will be easier for people from China, Hong Kong and Macau to obtain a driver's license in Taiwan, according to the MOTC.
Instead of the current time frame of one year, people from those areas could apply for tests for a driver's license as long as they have stayed in Taiwan legally for six months.
The same group of people, who have stayed in Taiwan for six months, could also have their original Chinese driver's license exchanged for a Taiwan driver's license, the ministry said.
(By Lee Hsin-Yin)
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