Five New DUI Penalties Announced in Kaohsiung 高雄酒駕者須到殯儀館服勞務 累犯限制住居

Kaohsiung government announced that DUI drivers should do community service at funeral parlors. 

Kaohsiung Police's Nanzi Precinct reported 16 DUIs from the 27th to the 30th. The city government then announced five further anti-DUI measures on the 29th. Those who are guilty of drinking and driving or who have delayed prosecution have to perform labor services at funeral parlors. Repeat offenders are restricted to house arrest during the investigation period. If there is a serious casualty or trying to escape after the accident, the prosecutor can apply to hold the suspect in custody. Prosecutors can also prosecute repeat offenders in the direction of unintentional homicide. The prosecutor will quickly conclude investigations of DUIs that cause serious casualties and hope that the court will issue a heavy sentence.

Tung Chien-hung, Director-general, Information Bureau, Kaohsiung: “As far as I understand it, this includes assisting in cleaning bodies to show respect for those who died naturally. We hope they learn to respect the lives of others through this process. ”

In addition to the five measures, Kaohsiung City Government has also studied to revise the law to include drunk driving reporting as part of the city's monetary reward program. 

Resident: “(Funeral home service) will serve as a warning and heavy punishment is necessary.”
Resident: “They should just assist. Of course they cannot be responsible to clean the body from start to finish.”

The public believes that funeral home services can be intimidating and they also support heavy penalties. Minister of the Interior Hsu Kuo-yung also declared that counties and cities will expand DUI checks during the Lunar New Year holidays.

Hsu Kuo-yung, Minister of the Interior: “We will strengthen and expand DUI inspections. We will need to adjust officers' duties without affecting their vacation time.”

Chen Ja-chin, Director-General, National Police Agency: “DUI check is an important task for the police. It's a continuous job and definitely not a periodical task.”

Police stated that DUI check is a long-term and not a periodical task. The National Police Agency respects public opinions regarding DUI penalties and will express its position through amendments to the law. 

 

高雄楠梓分局從27到30日取締16件酒駕，市府29日再拋五項防堵措施，酒駕有罪或緩起訴者得去殯儀館服勞務，累犯在偵查期限制住居，若造成重大傷亡或有逃避情形，檢察官可聲請羈押，被勸導還喝酒釀禍者，朝不確定故意殺人罪方向偵辦，酒駕釀重大傷亡事件檢方速偵速結，也希望法院重判。

高雄市新聞局長董建宏表示:「（就我的理解是）包括說去協助清洗大體，表示對於自然亡者的尊重，也透過這樣的學習去了解對他人生命的尊重。」除了五項措施，市府也研擬修法將檢舉酒駕納入獎金發放範圍中。

有民眾說:「（殯儀館服務）會有一個警示的作用在，然後重罰是必須。」

也有民眾表示:「他就是從旁協助，他當然不可能是從頭到尾就負責做清洗的動作。」

民眾認為殯儀館服勞務可收到恫嚇效果，也支持重罰。內政部長徐國勇也宣示，農曆年期間會擴大取締酒駕，各縣市動起來。

內政部長徐國勇提到:「在不影響我們員警的休假勤務等等的，那我們調整勤務要來加強擴大酒駕的臨檢。」

警政署長陳家欽指出:「酒駕對警察來說本來就是一個重點工作，而且是一個持續性的工作，絕對不是一個階段性的。」

警政署表示，強調取締酒駕是長期的任務，不是階段性的，至於酒駕罰則，外界的看法警政署都尊重，也會透過修法表達立場。