Taiwan to cross-check health records for drivers with vision, epilepsy or dementia

Taiwan's Ministry of Transportation and Communications announced a proposal that would enable road authorities to obtain health data from government agencies to screen drivers for visual impairment, epilepsy and moderate or severe dementia. The scheme will draw information already collected for certain subsidy or insurance applications and cross-reference it with driver records. Those identified as potentially unfit will be required to undergo a fresh qualification review, and failure could result in licence revocation.

The measure, affecting roughly 47,000 drivers, is intended to address medical conditions that develop after a licence is issued. It follows amendments to the Road Traffic Management and Penalty Act that mandate new reviews when a driver's physical or mental condition changes. The system is expected to be operational by the end of 2026.