ROAD SAFETY/Drivers who injure pedestrians by not yielding to face steeper fines

Taipei, June 19 (CNA) Drivers who fail to yield to pedestrians and cause injury will face heavier fines, under revised regulations set to take effect on June 30, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) said Thursday.

Under the new rules, drivers will be fined NT$36,000 (US$1,013) if their failure to yield results in serious injury to a pedestrian -- up from the current range of NT$18,000 to NT$30,000. The fine will now match that for causing a pedestrian's death, it said.

The MOTC clarified that these administrative fines are separate from any criminal liability.

Fines for causing minor injuries will also rise, from NT$7,200 to NT$18,000, it added.

In addition to steeper fines, the ministry has proposed amendments to traffic laws to revoke licenses for longer periods.

For accidents causing serious injury or death, the license revocation period would be extended from three years to four to five years. For minor injuries, it would be increased from one year to one to two years.

The proposed amendments are currently being reviewed by the Cabinet and will be submitted to the Legislature for final approval if passed, according to a MOTC official.

The ministry said the proposed amendments are part of broader efforts to strengthen pedestrian protections, building on an earlier revision that took effect on June 30, 2023.

It noted that since the earlier amendments, the number of pedestrian deaths and injuries has dropped from 17,660 in 2023 to 17,162 in 2024, including a decline in fatalities from 380 to 366.