[Holiday Hell] Only One Glass of Charyeju... Drunk Driving

Average 49 Drinking-Related Accidents Per Day During Lunar New Year Holiday... 100 Casualties
8 Times More Than Drowsy Driving Accidents (Average 6 Cases and 13 Casualties Per Day)

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Byung-don] A survey has revealed that drunk driving accidents occur much more frequently during the Lunar New Year holiday than usual.

According to a report independently analyzed by Hyundai Marine & Fire Insurance's Traffic Climate Environment Research Institute on the 23rd, the average number of drunk driving accidents during the Lunar New Year holiday over the past five years was 21.1 per day, which is 16.6% higher than on weekdays (18.1 cases).

Looking at the results of a survey conducted by the institute targeting 300 people with experience driving long distances for more than four hours during the Lunar New Year holiday, 43% of respondents said they had driven the morning after drinking the previous day.

In particular, 40.4% of drivers responded that they believed it was possible to drive within 7 hours after drinking about one bottle of soju. Additionally, 45% of respondents had experience driving after 음복 on Lunar New Year’s Day, and about one in three respondents said it was acceptable to drive after consuming 1 to 3 drinks.

These figures are also reflected in the statistics from the National Police Agency.

During the Lunar New Year holidays over the past three years (a total of 16 days), the average number of people injured or killed in traffic accidents was 795 per day (461 cases). The total number of deaths during the Lunar New Year holiday period was 43 in 2017, 37 in 2018, and 31 last year. Examining the number of accidents by date, the day before the holiday had the highest average with 755 cases (1,096 casualties), followed by the day before Lunar New Year (418 cases, 723 casualties), the day after Lunar New Year (360 cases, 662 casualties), and Lunar New Year day itself (342 cases, 761 casualties).

Among all causes of traffic accidents, drunk driving accounted for the largest proportion. During the Lunar New Year holidays over the past three years, drunk driving accidents occurred at an average of 49 cases per day (100 casualties), which is more than eight times the number of drowsy driving accidents (an average of 6 cases per day, 13 casualties), a major cause of traffic accidents.

The day with the most drunk driving accidents was the day before the holiday with 58 cases (103 casualties), followed by the day before Lunar New Year with 55 cases (111 casualties), the day after Lunar New Year with 44 cases (98 casualties), and Lunar New Year day with 37 cases (90 casualties). By time of day, nearly half (47.4%) of drunk driving accidents occurred between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m.

With the revised Road Traffic Act (the 2nd Yoon Chang-ho Act) implemented in June last year, the blood alcohol concentration threshold for license suspension due to drunk driving was lowered from 0.05% to 0.03%. The license cancellation threshold was also lowered from 0.1% to 0.08%. This means that even driving with a hangover or after just one drink of soju or beer can result in license suspension.

An official from the National Police Agency stated, “Drunk driving crackdowns will be conducted nationwide during the Lunar New Year holiday,” and urged, “People should be especially cautious and avoid driving even the morning after heavy drinking.”