'Time Bombs' on the Road... 30,000 Annual Traffic Accidents Involving Elderly Drivers

Last Year 31,072 Cases Among Those Aged 65 and Over
Number of Deaths 1.8 Times That of Ages 21-30
Voluntary Driver's License Surrender Ignored Despite Incentives

With over 30,000 traffic accidents caused by elderly drivers each year, the need for managing this group is increasing.

According to the Road Traffic Authority's Traffic Accident Analysis System (TAAS) on the 26th, the number of traffic accidents caused by drivers aged 65 and older has remained around 30,000, rising from 23,063 cases in 2015 to 33,239 in 2019, and 31,072 in 2020. The fatality rate of traffic accidents caused by elderly drivers is higher than that of younger drivers. Last year, there were a total of 29,775 traffic accidents caused by drivers aged 21 to 30, resulting in 385 deaths. In contrast, traffic accidents caused by drivers aged 65 and older numbered 31,072, but the number of deaths was 720, which is 1.87 times higher. In April, in Seocho-gu, Seoul, a vehicle driven by Mr. A (82) collided with three motorcycles and one car before crashing into a hair salon. A female customer in her 30s was trapped under the vehicle and died while being transported to the hospital.

The government is implementing a voluntary driver's license surrender system. Local governments offer incentives such as transportation cards for those who voluntarily surrender their licenses. In Seoul, citizens aged 70 and older who hold a driver's license or voluntarily surrender it receive a transportation card worth 100,000 KRW. The plan is to encourage the use of public transportation to reduce driving. According to the city's 'Senior Voluntary License Surrender Transportation Card Support Performance,' the number of elderly people who voluntarily surrendered their licenses was 7,500 in 2019 but increased to 16,762 the following year. This year, since the system started in April, 7,751 people have voluntarily surrendered their licenses as of the 23rd of this month. However, demand for driving remains high, and the nationwide voluntary license surrender rate among elderly drivers remains in the 2% range.

Professor Kim Pil-su of the Department of Automotive Studies at Daelim University said, "After the age of 75, judgment and device operation abilities decline sharply, increasing the likelihood of accidents," adding, "Education and systems are needed to help people recognize that these abilities can deteriorate even after 40 to 50 years of driving, and it is also important for families to persuade elderly parents not to drive." Han Sang-jin, head of the National Transportation Safety and Disaster Prevention Research Center at the Korea Transport Institute, explained, "In urban areas, public transportation is well established, so there is no major problem implementing the voluntary license surrender system. However, in rural areas, where life is difficult without a vehicle, supplementary measures such as village buses that go where people want are necessary," and added, "Considering vision and vehicle safety devices, it is worth considering the introduction of a conditional driver's license system that prohibits driving on highways but allows it near one's home."

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