'Yoon Chang-ho Law Effect Evident'... Traffic Accidents and Deaths from Drunk Driving Decreased After Law Revision

40% Decrease in Drunk Driving Accidents This Year Following Two Related Law Amendments
License Revocation Rate Increases by Over 10%P Due to Stricter Enforcement Standards

On the night of the 25th, police were conducting a drunk driving crackdown at the entrance ramp to the Busan direction of Seocho IC in Seoul. Photo by Moon Honam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Byung-don] Since the implementation of the Yoon Chang-ho Act, which strengthened penalties and enforcement standards for drunk driving in two phases, drunk driving traffic accidents have continuously decreased.

According to the Traffic Safety Division of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency on the 24th, the number of drunk driving traffic accidents that occurred during the one year from December 18, 2018, was 2,195, a 24.9% decrease compared to the same period the previous year (2,921 cases). Also, during the one year from December 18, 2019, there were 2,343 cases, which was 19.8% fewer than before the implementation of the Yoon Chang-ho Act. From December 18 last year to the 24th of this month, there were 931 drunk driving traffic accidents, which is 41.2% less than the same period before the law was enacted (1,583 cases).

As the number of drunk driving traffic accidents decreased, related fatal accidents also declined. In the first year after the Yoon Chang-ho Act was implemented, fatalities dropped by more than half (52.0%) from 27 cases to 13 cases, and in the second year, it showed a decreasing trend (40.7%) with 16 cases compared to before. Even now, in the third year, there have been 8 cases, a 33.3% reduction compared to before the law was enacted.

Previously, the government strengthened the punishment for drivers causing casualties due to drunk driving by amending the Act on Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes (Yoon Chang-ho Act) on December 18, 2018, increasing the penalty from a minimum of one year imprisonment to life imprisonment or imprisonment of three years or more.

Subsequently, from June 25, 2019, penalties were further strengthened to imprisonment of 2 to 5 years or fines of 10 million to 20 million KRW for those caught drunk driving two or more times. Enforcement standards for license suspension and cancellation were also tightened under the Second Yoon Chang-ho Act, lowering the license suspension blood alcohol concentration (BAC) threshold from the current 0.05% to 0.03%, and the license cancellation threshold from 0.10% to 0.08%.

On the night of the 25th, police conducted a drunk driving crackdown using a non-contact breathalyzer at the entrance ramp to the Busan direction of Seocho IC in Seoul. Photo by Mun Ho-nam munonam@

With the strengthening of penalties and enforcement standards, the number of drunk driving enforcement cases also significantly decreased. In the first year after the law revision (June 25, 2019 ? June 24, 2020), the number of drunk driving enforcement cases was 13,482, a 17.9% decrease compared to before (16,414 cases). In the second year (June 25, 2020 ? June 24, 2021), it further decreased to 12,363 cases.

However, as the license cancellation standards were tightened, the proportion of cases resulting in license cancellation among all enforcement cases greatly increased. Before the implementation, the license cancellation rate was about 65.6%, but it rose by more than 10 percentage points to 76.3% in the first year and 77.4% in the second year.

The police plan to continue enforcement while simultaneously conducting public awareness campaigns to eradicate drunk driving using social networking services (SNS) and large electronic billboards. Especially, with the social distancing measures being revised from July 1, and concerns about an increase in drunk driving, enforcement will be further strengthened.

A Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency official said, “We plan to strengthen drunk driving enforcement for personal mobility devices and two-wheeled vehicles as well,” and added, “We hope drivers themselves recognize the dangers of drunk driving and participate in safe driving to protect the precious lives of the public.”

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