Drug Driving to Result in License Revocation and Passenger Penalties; Ministry of Transportation Aims for Year-End Implementation

In response to frequent drug-impaired driving, the Ministry of Transportation is planning to tighten laws to impose stricter penalties. The current license suspension of 1-2 years will be upgraded to license revocation with a 3-year ban on re-testing. Drug users will face license suspension or revocation even if they are not driving. Additionally, fines will be increased, and penalties for passengers will be introduced, with the goal of implementation by the end of the year. To strengthen drug-driving prevention, the Ministry of Transportation is planning to amend the 'Road Traffic Management and Penalty Act.' Key points include upgrading the penalty for driving after drug use from the current 1-2 year license suspension to license revocation with a 3-year ban on re-testing. For those using Class 1 and Class 2 drugs, even without driving, their licenses will be revoked with restrictions on re-testing, while Class 3 and Class 4 drug users will face license suspension. At the same time, fines for first-time and repeat drug-driving offenses will be increased, and a provision will be added to penalize passengers aged 18 or older who knowingly ride with a driver under the influence of drugs. Minister of Transportation Chen Shih-kai attended a Taiwan-Japan bicycle safety culture forum today and told the media that in addition to the drug driving itself, passengers who know the driver is using drugs should share responsibility, with fines of up to NT$15,000. Regarding drug driving in cars or motorcycles, Chen stated that fines will increase from the original NT$30,000 and NT$15,000 to NT$120,000 and NT$90,000. 'In the future, it can be accumulated without an upper limit. A first offense will be NT$120,000 and NT$90,000.' Chen pointed out that in the future, as long as drug use is confirmed, even without driving, license revocation or suspension will be enforced. Chen said the amendment to the Road Traffic Management and Penalty Act will be sent to the Executive Yuan within a month, by June this year, and subsequently to the Legislative Yuan for deliberation. 'The faster the Legislative Yuan reviews it, the faster we can implement it.' He believes that legislators and all sectors attach great importance to this issue and that it will certainly be implemented by the end of the year.