Drunk Bicycle Riders Could Also be charged a Fine starting July 1, 2019

According to an announcement made by The National Police Agency, starting July 1, 2019, any person who are caught by government authorities, for the first time, as being in the influence of alcohol while riding a bicycle, electric bike, or tricycle will be charged with a fine amounting  from NT $600-NT $1,200 or from US $19.74 to US $39.48. Anyone who will be refusing to take the alcohol test administered by Taiwan’s government authorities will be charged a fine equal to NT $2,400.





The announcement of The National Police Agency was released to the public on June 30, 2019, which is a day before the actual implementation of the said rule regarding the amendments in the Road Traffic Management and Penalty Act which was finished in the legislative floor on March 26 of this year.

The implementation of the act would mean that the motorist who are DUI offenders will be charged with a fine ranging from NT $30,000 to NT $120,000. The penalty which will be charged to drivers of motorcycles will be unchanged. The fine for DUI motorcyclist offenders ranges from NT $15,000 to NT $90,000.

 Two who will have a total of two offenses in five years will be charged a fine of NT $90,000 to NT $120,000.





Before the law was amended, drivers of motorcycles and cars who are found guilty of drunk driving were charged with a fine amounting from NT $15,000 to NT $90,000.

The law also says that for drivers who do not stop at checkpoint areas or for those drivers who refuse to take a sobriety test could be charged a fine of NT $180,000.

Aside from the fines, drunk drivers will also have their driver’s license suspended for two years and for those who are carrying children under the age of 12 will have their driver’s license suspended for two to four years.

In case of death of a passenger, drivers’ vehicles will be confiscated and his driver’s license could be permanently revoked.

For drunk drivers who are found out to have passengers who are 18 years old or below, the passengers will be charged a fine amounting to NT $600- NT $3,000.





Passengers, who are 70 years old or older, mentally incapacitated, or those who are riding a bus or coach, are exempted from the penalty.

According to the National Police Agency, a nationwide campaign will be done against drunk driving from July 1 to July 3, 2019, by increasing the number of checkpoints.