"Driving Cessation for Seniors Aged 75 and Over" ... Pohang City's Driver's License Return Program Gains Popularity

Providing a transportation card loaded with 200,000 won to elderly individuals whose licenses have been revoked. (Photo by Pohang City)

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Young-wook] Pohang City in Gyeongbuk Province has introduced a 'Voluntary Driver's License Surrender' program to prevent traffic accidents among elderly drivers, which has received a higher-than-expected response.

According to Pohang City on the 17th, since January 1 of this year, the city has encouraged voluntary surrender of driver's licenses among elderly people aged 75 and older. As a result, more than 220 people have voluntarily surrendered their driver's licenses in less than three months.

The city accepts voluntary driver's license surrender applications from those aged 75 and older and issues transportation cards loaded with 200,000 KRW to seniors whose licenses have been canceled.

As the initial 220 transportation cards prepared were sold out early due to the high participation of elderly drivers, the city plans to secure additional supplementary budgets based on the application status by the end of this month to continue the program.

The transportation card is provided to Pohang residents aged 75 and older who voluntarily surrendered their driver's licenses after January 1 of this year. To apply, applicants must surrender their driver's license at Pohang South or North Police Stations or the Pohang Driver's License Examination Office, bring the driver's license cancellation decision notice, and then visit the nearby eup/myeon/dong administrative welfare center to complete the support application form.

Kim Nam-jin, head of the Transportation Support Division of Pohang City, said, "We hope that the popularity of the voluntary driver's license surrender support system for elderly drivers will help us take a step closer to creating a safer traffic environment by reducing traffic accidents."