Taiwan's Executive Yuan to Propose Legal Amendments on June 11 to Increase Penalties for All Drug-Driving Offenses, Including Those Causing Death, Serious Injury, and Repeat Offenses

(CNA, Taipei, June 10, Reporter Lai Yu-chen) To enhance the prevention of drugs and drug-impaired driving, Premier Cho Jung-tai recently approved 14 response strategies focusing on source deterrence, strengthened investigation, and severe punishment for drug driving. The Executive Yuan Council will discuss and pass amendments tomorrow, including to Article 185-3 of the Criminal Code, to comprehensively increase the statutory penalties for drug driving, drug driving causing serious injury, drug driving causing death, and for repeat offenders.

On June 4, Cho approved 14 response strategies at the Executive Yuan Council meeting, including raising the penalty for drug driving causing death, imposing a maximum penalty of death for manufacturing or transporting etomidate (a sedative), lifelong revocation of driver's licenses for drug driving causing death, and a fine of up to NT$100,000 for possessing e-cigarettes. Related legal amendments will be proposed successively.

Under current law, drunk or drug-impaired drivers face imprisonment of up to 3 years and a fine of up to NT$300,000. For active military personnel, the maximum fine is NT$400,000. If death is caused, the penalty is 3 to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to NT$2,000,000. If serious injury is caused, the penalty is 1 to 7 years in prison and a fine of up to NT$1,000,000.

To curb drug driving, the Executive Yuan Council will pass amendments tomorrow to Article 185-3 of the "Criminal Code of the Republic of China" and Article 54 of the "Code of Criminal Procedure for the Armed Forces" to comprehensively increase penalties related to drug driving.

An Executive Yuan official pointed out three main focuses of the proposed amendments. First, a "comprehensive increase in penalties" for all drug driving offenses. Second, fines under the Code of Criminal Procedure for the Armed Forces will be higher than those stipulated in the Criminal Code. Third, vehicles will be "confiscated" in cases where drunk or drug driving leads to death or serious injury, aiming to prevent such acts and deter others from providing vehicles to users, thus achieving both general and special prevention.

Regarding the extent of the increase in the maximum sentence for drug driving causing death, the official stated it will be announced after the Executive Yuan Council's decision. Deputy Minister of Justice Huang Mou-hsin recently explained that adjustments to increase penalties must consider fairness, the principle of proportionality, and opinions from all sectors, but the overall direction is to raise the penalties for drug driving. (Editor: Lin Ke-lun) 1150610