Sharp Increase in 'Reckless and Retaliatory Driving' Causing Traffic Accidents... Most Cases in Daegu and Southern Gyeonggi

Kim Young-bae, member of the Democratic Party of Korea. / Provided by the member's office

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-joo] It has been revealed that 'reckless driving,' which poses a high risk of traffic accidents, and 'retaliatory driving,' which threatens other drivers, have significantly increased.

According to data on the 'Reception and Processing Status of Reckless and Retaliatory Driving' submitted by the National Police Agency to Kim Young-bae, a member of the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee from the Democratic Party of Korea, reckless driving cases reported to the police over the past two years reached 15,159, while retaliatory driving cases reached 9,961.

In the case of reckless driving, the number increased by a staggering 62.4%, from 5,776 cases in 2018 to 9,383 cases last year. Last year, the regions with the highest reckless driving cases were Daegu with 1,095 cases, Gyeongbuk with 1,010 cases, and Gangwon with 987 cases.

Retaliatory driving also increased by 25.1%, from 4,425 cases in 2018 to 5,536 cases last year. By region, the southern Gyeonggi area had the highest number with 1,142 cases, followed by Seoul with 952 cases and northern Gyeonggi with 449 cases.

Retaliatory driving is distinguished from reckless driving in that it involves the intent to threaten a specific driver. In particular, retaliatory driving accompanied by criminal acts such as special injury, assault, intimidation, or property damage under criminal law can result in the cancellation or suspension of the driver's license.

Assemblyman Kim pointed out, “Reckless and retaliatory driving can cause serious traffic accidents,” adding, “Especially in the case of retaliatory driving, where a car is used as a lethal weapon, it is not only dangerous to the perpetrator but should also be remembered as a special crime punishable by law.”

He continued, “In cases of reckless and retaliatory driving, the police should raise awareness through proactive prevention by conducting intensive crackdowns using unmarked vehicles,” emphasizing, “Strict law enforcement by the police is necessary to protect the safety of citizens.”

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