TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Police found a woman sleeping at the wheel in the middle of the road after a drinking sesson.
On Ziguang Xinyi Road in Kaohsiung's Ziqiang District, at 4 a.m., a sedan was found stopped in the middle of the express lane. A 40-year-old woman named Chen (陳), who appeared to be the driver and intoxicated, had fallen asleep while waiting for a red light, reported UDN.
After police conducted a breathalyzer test, it was confirmed that her blood alcohol level far exceeded the legal limit. She was charged with endangering public safety.
Gangshan Police said Chen only regained consciousness after repeated attempts to wake her up. When police finally opened the car door, a strong smell of alcohol hit them, per UDN.
"I don't know. I can't answer your questions," Chen is reported to have said to police. She pleaded with the officers to let her go, per UDN.
When the police told Chen that stopping the vehicle in the express lane was dangerous, she seemed disoriented and asked officers, “Did I really stop like this? I'm sorry!" UDN wrote.
The case was referred to Qiaotou District Prosecutors' Office for investigation on charges of endangering public safety.
Figures produced by Taiwan’s Transport authority showed that in the first half of 2023, there were two fewer deaths by drunk driving, a 1.5% decrease, Yahoo reported.
