Taiwan Passes Stricter Penalties for Drug-Impaired Driving

The Legislative Yuan passed amendments to the Road Traffic Management and Penalty Act on July 28, 2026, to significantly increase penalties for drug-impaired driving. The legislation replaces previous license suspensions with immediate revocation and a three-year ban on reapplying. Drivers who cause serious injury or death through drug-impaired driving now face lifetime bans.

Financial penalties for first-time offenders reach NT$150,000 for car drivers and NT$120,000 for motorcyclists, while repeat offenders face uncapped cumulative fines. The law also allows for the immediate confiscation of vehicles regardless of who owns them. Those who refuse drug tests may be fined up to NT$540,000 for a second offense, and adult passengers accompanying drug-impaired drivers can be fined between NT$6,000 and NT$15,000.

These changes follow a proposal by the Executive Yuan on June 18. Government officials cited a rise in drug-impaired driving cases and stated that narcotics use poses greater risks to public safety than alcohol intoxication.