'Unstable' Scrap Collecting Elderly... Why Do They Drive on the Road?

Handcarts Must Be Classified Separately from Cars and Driven on Roads
Pedestrians Using Roads Face Fines
Police "Pushing for Road Traffic Act Amendment"

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Jung-yoon] Recycling collection carts traveling on the road. Sometimes they travel alongside vehicles or even drive against traffic, which seems far from safe. However, these carts are classified as carriages and must only travel on the road. If they travel on sidewalks, fines may be imposed. Carts pushed onto the road are also exposed to the risk of traffic accidents.

According to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency on the 1st, 19 elderly people collecting scrap paper died in traffic accidents between 2016 and 2018. During this period, Dongdaemun-gu recorded the highest number of deaths with 3, while Jongno-gu and Gwanak-gu each had 2 fatalities. In October last year, in Gwangju, a drunk driver in his 20s collided with a cart ahead of him. As a result of this accident, a woman in her 70s collecting scrap paper early in the morning died.

According to the current Road Traffic Act, carts are classified as carriages and must travel on the road. Violating this by traveling on sidewalks can result in a fine of 30,000 KRW. Due to the high risk of traffic accidents, there is also a push to amend the law to allow carts to travel on the relatively safer sidewalks instead of the road. In November 2017, Lee Chae-ik, a member of the People Power Party, explained the reason for the proposal, stating, "Allowing handcarts on sidewalks would only cause minor inconvenience or minor accidents to pedestrians," and he introduced a bill to amend the Road Traffic Act to include handcarts as pedestrians. However, the bill did not pass the National Assembly.

The police are also preparing countermeasures. A police official said, "Handcarts used to transport carts and delivery boxes are also classified as carriages," adding, "We are pushing for an amendment to the Road Traffic Act so that carts and handcarts can be included in the concept of pedestrians and allowed to travel on sidewalks."

To ensure the safety of recycling collection carts that are vulnerable to accidents, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency is conducting traffic safety education and providing nighttime reflective stickers and reflective vests.

Support from local governments is also continuing. In April, Gwanak-gu Office supported 44 lightweight carts to prevent safety accidents among elderly recycling collectors in the district. These carts are made from materials that are about 30-50% lighter than existing ones and are equipped with brakes for easy fixation.

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