The Habit of 'Drunk Driving' Has Not Changed

Encouraging a Drunk Friend to Drive... Hit a Person and Flee
The Persistent Variety of Drunk Drivers

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-ju] "Handing the keys to a friend who has been drinking and encouraging them to drive, hitting a person while driving under the influence and fleeing the scene..."

Every year, about 300 people lose their lives due to drunk driving, and despite young people who have lost friends creating the 'Yoon Chang-ho Act (Revised Road Traffic Act)' to strengthen penalties for drunk driving, the 'various behaviors' of drunk drivers continue unabated.

According to the National Police Agency on the 10th, the police conducted a 'year-end and New Year drunk driving crackdown' for 47 days from December 16 last year to the 31st of last month, cracking down on 14,627 cases of drunk driving. Compared to the same period last year (13,548 cases), this is an increase of 7.9%. Although the drunk driving crackdown standard was lowered to a blood alcohol concentration of 0.03% following the implementation of the 'Second Yoon Chang-ho Act' on June 25 last year, the number of drunk driving cases during the year-end and New Year period actually increased. On the bright side, the number of deaths from drunk driving traffic accidents during this period was 23, a 20.7% decrease compared to the previous year.

The behaviors of drunk drivers were varied. On December 20 last year, in Haenam-gun, Jeollanam-do, a suspect who was driving with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.059%, which is at the license suspension level, hit a pedestrian crossing the road and fled without providing aid, was urgently arrested by the police. In Gwangju, an unlicensed driver who had been sentenced to probation for drunk driving was caught again by the police while driving under the influence with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.093% and was detained.

In particular, during this period, eight passengers who aided drunk driving were also booked. On the 10th of last month in Busan, a passenger who drank with a friend and knowingly handed over the car keys despite the friend being unlicensed and drunk was caught, and on the 15th in Incheon, a wife who allowed her husband to drive knowing he had been drinking was also booked. Passengers who aid drunk driving can face imprisonment of up to 1 year and 6 months or a fine of up to 5 million won for simple assistance, and up to 3 years imprisonment or a fine of up to 10 million won if they actively encourage it.

Meanwhile, as the novel coronavirus infection (Wuhan pneumonia) spreads, the police recently stopped mass checkpoint-style drunk driving crackdowns and switched to selective crackdowns that identify suspected drunk driving vehicles at vulnerable locations and times. This decision was made considering that using a single breathalyzer for an unspecified large number of people could cause discomfort.

As a result, some concerns have been raised that undetected drunk driving may increase. A police official said, "We have not stopped drunk driving crackdowns altogether," and added, "If the risk is judged to be resolved, such as when the novel coronavirus crisis level decreases, we will resume mass checkpoint-style crackdowns."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.