To Drive or Not to To Drive?
On March 17th, a driver in his eighties mistook the accelerator pedal for the brake pedal and caused a tragic collision of seven vehicles in Gangnam District, Seoul City. Traffic accidents caused by elderly drivers have been steadily increasing in South Korea, but the current regulation policies devised to prevent these accidents appear ineffective. Thus, the Sungkyun Times (SKT) will analyze the current circumstances of elderly drivers in South Korea and the controversial debate on the future of regulation policies.
Behind the Wheel: Elderly Drivers
-Increasing Age, Escalating Danger
The number of drivers aged 65 or older who are classified as elderly drivers has rapidly increased in South Korea. According to the Korean National Police Agency (KNPA) last March, the number of elderly drivers rose by approximately 40% from about 3.3 million in 2019 to about 4.7 million in 2023. Among these drivers, the number of drivers who are 75 or older surpassed 1 million for the first time in history. Such a steep incline has significantly influenced the road, as indicated by the Korea Road Traffic Authority (KoRoad). In March, it was revealed that accidents caused by elderly drivers increased from 2020 to 2022 and accounted for roughly 17% of the total accidents in 2022. One main factor that contributes to these accidents is physical aging. Due to hearing and vision loss, elderly drivers are more likely to miss critical sound signals and visual stimuli on the road. Another reason that elderly drivers are prone to traffic accidents is cognitive decline. In an interview with the SKT, Kim Huiseong (Sophomore, Department of Police Administration, Dongguk University) commented, “Compared to younger drivers, elderly drivers display poorer abilities in hazard recognition and avoidance, so they are often unable to act instantly in dangerous situations.” As South Korea is on the verge of becoming a super-aged society, the issues regarding elderly drivers are attracting more public attention than ever.
-Current Regulation Policies
Today, several policies by the government, local authorities, and various institutes ensure the safety of elderly drivers. First, Article 87 of the Road Traffic Act requires that drivers with a Class 2 license go through the license renewal process, which includes a driving aptitude evaluation and safety training every five years after age 65 and every three years after age 75. Additionally, based on Article 93 of the act, local authorities have run a program to promote voluntary license returns since 2018. This program delivers a one-time financial reward for elderly drivers who voluntarily return their licenses and is expected to significantly reduce the number of elderly drivers. Lastly, educational programs are held in numerous locations across the country, delivering practical knowledge for preventing accidents, such as road safety guidelines and analyses of various traffic accident cases. For instance, a series of personal consulting sessions for elderly drivers was conducted in Muju County in North Jeolla Province last March. KoRoad has also organized annual traffic safety expert classes at local senior centers since 2016. However, there are opposing views on whether regulatory policies should be strengthened beyond this level.
At the Crossroads: Opposing Perspectives
-Safety First and Foremost
Some argue that regulations must be expanded, explaining that elderly drivers pose a threat to both other drivers and themselves. Older drivers are likely to suffer physical damage in traffic accidents. According to data provided by KoRoad this March, the fatality rate of elderly drivers was 1.5 times the overall rate in 2022. Additionally, elderly drivers often tend to overestimate their driving ability, further increasing the danger. In an interview with the SKT, the grandson of an elderly driver expressed his concern, “My grandfather insists that he can continue driving, even though he has already caused several minor accidents.” Therefore, though a solid regulatory system is urgently needed, the policies in action today are comparatively ineffective. Primarily, the program for promoting voluntary license returns proves ineffective due to the low incentives. The number of elderly drivers who voluntarily returned their driver’s licenses in 2023 was only approximately 2.4% of all elderly drivers, according to the KNPA. Furthermore, the license renewal process is generally lenient, especially with the driving aptitude evaluation lacking actual driving tests. The safety training provided by KoRoad has also turned out to be ineffective because it is mainly conducted through online videos.
-Rights to Freedom and Mobility
Conversely, some emphasize that driving is closely related to fundamental rights and thus disagree with expanding regulations. With stricter regulations, the livelihood of elderly drivers, including taxi and delivery drivers, could be negatively impacted. The Korea Transportation Safety Authority (KOTSA) revealed this March that in 2023, the number of elderly taxi drivers was close to 45% of the total count of taxi drivers. Also, according to the KOTSA, the average number of buses per operating route was 4.27 in urban areas but only 0.47 in rural areas in 2022. Therefore, driving may be essential for elderly residents of such regions with limited public transportation. Moreover, current regulations apply the same age standard to all elderly drivers, which may be unfair to those who can drive as competently as young drivers. For instance, in an interview with The New Daily this March, 72-year-old delivery driver Yoo commented, “My age does not cause major problems while I am driving, so I cannot understand why the elderly are urged to return their driver’s licenses.” Modern-day advances in medical care have considerably increased the number of healthy elders; thus, it seems unreasonable to evaluate the entire elderly population based solely on age.
Beyond the Horizon: A Safer Road for Everyone
-Bridging the Gap
Considering both opinions, a compromised method of expanding regulations is needed. Essentially, it is reasonable to flexibly subdivide the license renewal period and procedure to evaluate elderly drivers accurately. In New Zealand, drivers over 80 must renew their license every two years and receive a doctor’s confirmation in the process. Second, conditional licenses could be effective for the elderly who wish to continue driving. This system is currently being implemented in other countries, such as the United States (U.S.) and Germany, explicitly restricting the areas and times in which elderly people can drive according to their performance in periodic driving tests. As elderly drivers are evaluated not by age but by driving ability, conditional licenses are fair for everyone. Meanwhile, incentives for returning licenses should be expanded to aid those who can no longer drive. In Japan, elderly drivers who return their licenses receive long-term benefits, such as free shopping delivery services and higher banking interest rates. As for South Korea, one noteworthy example is the ₩100 Taxi welfare system in Naju City of South Jeolla Province, a program that resolved the inconvenience of transportation in rural areas by offering ₩100 taxi fares for residents 70 and above. As there are many options for regulating elderly drivers, it is imperative that the government actively puts them to use.
-Navigating the Future of Elderly Driving
The utmost priority in the upcoming super-aged society is creating a social atmosphere that embraces elderly drivers while addressing safety issues through various approaches other than the legal system. For one, the development of technology is expected to reduce the risk of accidents. Last February, the Samsung Traffic Safety Research Institute found that elderly people who drove cars equipped with an Advanced Emergency Braking System (AEBS) had a 22.5% lower accident rate than those who did not. Although AEBS installation has been legally required for vehicles manufactured domestically since 2023, only a few elderly drivers drive such cars because not many tend to buy new vehicles. Therefore, government support is necessary. In Japan, elderly drivers who purchase new vehicles with AEBS are offered a subsidy of up to ₩890,000, along with a 9% discount on vehicle insurance. Improving the driving environment itself is another task, and installing more illuminated road signs and anti-slip pavements will enhance the safety of all drivers on the road. Senior-friendly construction standards are critical in areas such as intersections, where elderly drivers are especially prone to accidents. Securing both the freedom and safety of elderly drivers is an essential assignment to guarantee a tomorrow every day.
Traffic accidents are especially deadly in that a single mistake at the wrong moment can lead to irreversible consequences. Therefore, prevention is key. As elderly drivers are expected to take up an increasingly larger portion of the road in the near future, clear measures for safety are needed more than ever. The SKT hopes that Kingos help steer this mission toward its ultimate destination, as road safety is the responsibility of all.