Consecutive accidents involving drivers in 70s prompt calls for urgent action

On Friday, a series of traffic accidents involving drivers in their 70s occurred in the Seoul metropolitan area, resulting in two deaths and multiple injuries. With the growing number of elderly drivers, related accidents are increasing, prompting calls for urgent measures, such as expanding incentives for voluntary driver's license surrender.

According to the Gangbuk Police Station in Seoul, at around 10:32 a.m. on Friday, a black Genesis passenger car crashed into a hamburger restaurant in Mia-dong, Gangbuk-gu. An 80-year-old woman walking on the sidewalk was rushed to a hospital in Seongbuk-gu while receiving CPR but died. Five others, including the driver in his 70s, were injured. The driver, who sustained a fractured nose, is receiving treatment, and the other four suffered minor injuries. The police investigation revealed that the vehicle suddenly veered into an iron fence and a tree before crashing into the store.

Earlier, at around 4:55 a.m. on the same day, a Korando SUV driven by a man in his 70s hit and killed a woman in her 60s who was pulling a cart filled with waste paper. Despite the woman wearing a fluorescent vest to reflect vehicle lights, the driver claimed during the police investigation that he "did not see the cart." The driver was not believed to be under the influence of alcohol.

Later, at around 8:17 a.m., another accident occurred when a man in his 70s crashed his car into the sidewalk in Mapyeong-dong, Yongin City, Gyeonggi Province. A woman in her 50s sustained serious injuries, including fractures, and was taken to the hospital. The driver reportedly turned the steering wheel to avoid a car approaching from the left at an intersection without traffic lights and ended up on the sidewalk.

In response to the increasing number of accidents involving elderly drivers, Seoul City and the National Human Rights Commission held a discussion on Friday to address improvements to the driver's license system for the elderly. "Incentives for returning a driver’s license should be differentiated by age group," Professor Han Sang-jin of Seoul National University’s Graduate School of Environmental Studies suggested. "The government needs to prioritize license returns for elderly people living in cities over those in rural areas." Other proposals included conditional license systems and strengthening pedestrian safety facilities, which the government and local authorities are urged to consider.


주현우 기자 woojoo@donga.com