Hualien man owes NT$810,000 in drunk-driving fines and enters treatment

Aug 21, 2026

A repeat drunk driver in Hualien has been given a payment plan and referred to alcohol addiction treatment instead of being pushed further into debt.

  • A man in his 40s racked up NT$810,000 in unpaid fines after being caught riding a scooter drunk three times between 2021 and 2025.
  • Enforcement officers found he was broke, recently out of prison, and working odd jobs in the heat to get by.
  • Rather than only chasing the money, they talked him into alcohol treatment and worked out a repayment schedule he can actually manage.
  • Officials say anyone who cannot pay fines in one go can ask for help with installments, job support, welfare referrals, or addiction treatment.

Outlook: Expect enforcement offices to keep pairing debt collection with social support, since fines alone rarely stop repeat drunk driving.

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