Significant Simplification of 'Voluntary Driver's License Surrender' Process Previously Taking Up to 40 Days... Enforcement of Revised Road Traffic Act Enforcement Rules

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-joo] The procedure for voluntarily surrendering a driver's license, which used to take up to 40 days, has been greatly simplified, and the materials used in traffic safety facilities are expected to become more diverse.

The National Police Agency announced on the 1st that the revised Road Traffic Act Enforcement Regulations, which include these changes, will take effect from the 2nd.

Previously, to voluntarily surrender a driver's license, one had to visit a police station to write and submit a statement, then receive a prior notice issued by the police station and a decision notice sent by mail from the provincial office before the license cancellation was finalized. This process took up to 40 days, causing a long delay between the decision to surrender and the actual surrender.

Under the newly implemented revised Road Traffic Act Enforcement Regulations, to simplify the voluntary surrender procedure, the statement writing step has been omitted. Instead, the individual confirms their intention to surrender on the prior notice and only needs to sign and seal it. Additionally, the decision notice, which was previously sent by mail, will now be handed over on-site to enable immediate surrender of the driver's license.

Furthermore, to promote the development of new materials for traffic safety facilities such as traffic lights, safety signs, and road markings, and to foster related industries, the material standards have been diversified. For example, the material for traffic light housings, which was previously limited to 'polycarbonate,' will no longer have specific restrictions as long as the safety standards required for installation and operation are met. Also, new materials in the form of self-luminous emitters are now permitted for use in road markings. However, the diversification of materials for road markings will be implemented starting January next year, considering the progress of technological development.

A National Police Agency official stated, "We expect that simplifying the voluntary surrender procedure will encourage more elderly drivers to surrender their licenses voluntarily," adding, "The relaxation of restrictions on materials for traffic safety facilities will also help active market launches and contribute to securing traffic safety."

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