"Hey XX, Stop Your Car!" Threatening Even Pregnant Women... Can Revenge Driving Be Stopped? [Just a Moment!]

Road Revenge and Reckless Driving on Streets Can Lead to Violent Crimes Like Assault
Experts Say "Need to Revise Laws Related to Traffic Crimes"

The driver of the car behind is threatening the driver of the car in front after the vehicle in the straight and right-turn lanes did not yield. Photo by Han Moon-cheol, captured from YouTube channel 'Han Moon-cheol TV'.

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] "Hey! Stop the car!", "Won't you yield?", "You damn bastard!"

Recently, cases of drivers threatening, cursing, or assaulting other drivers have been nonstop. Traffic crimes such as reckless and retaliatory driving have been occurring continuously for years, but their methods are becoming increasingly brutal, causing social problems. In particular, reckless and retaliatory driving, also called "weapons on the road," is serious because it can shatter a family's peace overnight.

Given this situation, some drivers sigh deeply, saying, "It's scary because you never know what might happen on the road." Experts emphasize the need to revise legal regulations related to traffic crimes.

Recently, the YouTube channel 'Han Moon-cheol TV' released footage of a driver threatening the car in front for not yielding in the straight and right-turn lanes, sparking public outrage.

On the 16th, 'Han Moon-cheol TV' uploaded a video titled "A man who aggressively hit the window and cursed at his wife who is 27 weeks pregnant, threatening to assault her."

The informant was Mr. A, the husband of the driver in front. Mr. A explained the situation: "Our 26-month-old daughter had a high fever, so we were on our way to a pediatrician when the car behind kept honking, demanding we move because they wanted to turn right. It was a straight and right-turn lane, and if we moved, we would be stopped on the crosswalk, so we were waiting for the signal to change."

In the video submitted by Mr. A, his wife was waiting for the signal to go straight in the straight and right-turn lane. However, Mr. B, the driver of a black sedan right behind, honked asking to move so he could turn right. Then Mr. B got out of his car and approached the front car, knocking on the window.

His wife said, "This is the straight lane," and Mr. B demanded, "Please move to the side." When she said, "Go ahead," Mr. B threatened her by raising his fist and cursing, "You damn son of a bitch."

Mr. B seemed to return to his car but came back and forcefully slapped the rear passenger window of the departing vehicle with his palm. At that time, Mr. A's 26-month-old daughter was in the back seat.

A rear driver threatening the driver in front. Photo by YouTube 'Han Moon-cheol TV' screenshot.

Netizens who saw the video reacted critically, saying, "The driver in front will probably develop trauma. He must be punished," "This is assault driving beyond retaliatory driving," "It's scary that a driver threatens a normal driver. The world is frightening," and "I'm so scared I can't even drive."

Disputes on the road like this never cease. The cases reported to the police or posted on communities are just a fraction of countless incidents.

Recent driving-related issues include ▲reckless driving ▲retaliatory driving ▲attempted assault ▲verbal abuse. Reckless driving refers to driving aggressively to cause discomfort or threat to unspecified many, while retaliatory driving is intentionally threatening or frightening a specific person.

The problem is that such incidents can escalate into serious crimes. In March, a man in his 30s in Busan was arrested for habitual retaliatory driving. He committed retaliatory driving five times and verbally abused and assaulted a female driver, saying things like, "Where is the bastard who turns on the blinker and cuts in?" and "Come out, you XXX. You drive like crap."

In May, a taxi driver in Jeonju, Jeollabuk-do, was caught by police for swinging an axe at a driver in his 20s after a dispute on the road.

As a result, some people are giving up driving altogether. A 30-something office worker living in Seoul said, "The risk of unexpected accidents increases when driving, so I try not to drive as much as possible," adding, "I use the subway for commuting."

Experts define reckless and retaliatory driving as "violent crimes on the road" and suggest the need to revise related laws.

Senior Researcher Choi Soo-hyung of the Korea Institute of Criminology and Justice said, "In the case of retaliatory driving, there are no clear legal provisions in the Road Traffic Act, so the Criminal Act is applied. Also, to punish reckless driving, acts such as ▲violation of signals and instructions ▲crossing the center line ▲speeding must be 'continuous and repeated.' However, since a single act can cause a major accident, it is necessary to reconsider requiring continuity or repetition as conditions for reckless driving."

He added, "Reckless and retaliatory driving are 'violent crimes on the road.' However, because they occur in the special environment of the 'road' and use 'cars' as a means, many people do not consider them as violence. Traffic crimes should not be dismissed as mere individual driver problems but should be examined from various perspectives."

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