An amended transportation regulation will require people with serious drunk driving violations to use ignition interlock devices on their vehicles from March, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) said Saturday.

Under the Road Traffic Management and Penalty Act, for which the MOTC announced the amendment on Jan. 10, people who have driven drunk two times or more over the past five years or those who have killed or seriously injured people when drunk driving will have to install breath alcohol ignition interlock devices on their vehicles, the ministry said.

The offenders will have to pay for the devices, which will prevent the vehicle from being started if the drivers are detected to have drunk, it said. Five minutes after the car is started, the device will examine the driver a second time, and continue to do so every 45-60 minutes to make sure the driver is sober, according to the law.

If the driver fails to complete the test within 15 minutes or fails the test, the device will make a sound and light to warn the driver to pull over. Those who ignore the warning, or drive vehicles without the device, will be subject to a fine between NT$6,000 (US$197) and NT$12,000, the ministry said.