"Stars Flashing Before Eyes" From Fare Evasion to Assault... Taxi Drivers Struggling with Increasing Intoxicated Passengers

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[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Ju Cheol-in] As COVID-19 quarantine guidelines have been relaxed, the culture of heavy drinking has resurfaced, leading to a series of damages to taxi drivers caused by intoxicated passengers.

According to the Gyeongnam Provincial Police Agency on the 8th, 13 cases of taxi driver assault occurred in Gyeongnam over the past month.

In the early morning of the 27th of last month in Changwon, a passenger in his 50s, angered by the fare surcharge, assaulted a taxi driver and was booked for assaulting a driver under the Act on Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes.

Around the same time in Gimhae, a passenger in his 30s, intoxicated, slapped a taxi driver without any particular reason and was investigated by the police.

A (61), who operates a taxi business in Sacheon, Gyeongnam, is suffering from the aftereffects of an assault incident that occurred in early last month.

A recalled, “The passenger came close behind the driver's seat and suddenly struck my head several times, causing stars to flash before my eyes,” and lamented, “The quarrels, verbal abuse, and assaults by intoxicated passengers are severe.”

A emphasized, “It is the driver's job to drive safely to the destination, but due to assaults by passengers, I could lose control of the steering wheel and cause an accident,” and stressed, “Measures are needed.”

A police officer working at a local police station said, “Since the COVID-19 quarantine guidelines were relaxed, there has been a noticeable increase in taxi drivers visiting the station after disputes with intoxicated passengers involving assaults, quarrels, and fare evasion.”

Gyeongnam Province has launched a project to support the installation of protective partitions in taxis to protect drivers and prevent the spread of infectious diseases. By installing transparent partitions around the driver's seat, it spatially separates taxi drivers and passengers.

Out of a total of 12,418 taxis in the province (4,229 corporate and 8,189 individual), partitions will be installed in 933 taxis as a pilot. Additional budget will be secured in the second half of the year to support about 5,000 more vehicles.

Park In-gyu, head of the Gyeongnam branch of the Taxi Union, said, “Partitions are definitely effective in protecting taxi drivers, but since the support target is less than 1,000 vehicles, it is still insufficient,” and added, “Institutional support is needed so that taxi drivers can work in a safe environment.”

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