Increasing Accidents Involving 'Elderly Drivers' Aged 65 and Over, Is There No Solution?

Increasing Traffic Accidents Caused by Elderly Drivers Every Year
23,063 Cases in 2015 → 33,239 Cases in 2019
Voluntary License Surrender Rate Among Elderly Drivers Only 2.2% Last Year
Experts Say "Education Needed for Elderly Drivers"

Traffic accidents caused by elderly drivers are increasing every year. The photo is unrelated to specific expressions in the article. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] # In June last year, an octogenarian driver was caught by the police for driving in the wrong direction on the highway. Driver A (88) is accused of driving in reverse for about 20 km from Deogyusan Rest Area to Seosang Interchange on the Daejeon-Tongyeong Expressway. According to the investigation, it was confirmed that Mr. A, after refueling at the rest area, mistakenly turned back on the road he had come from. Mr. A stated during the police investigation, "It was dark at night, so I got confused about the exit of the rest area."

As traffic accidents caused by elderly drivers have been increasing recently, there are urgent calls for related countermeasures. In particular, one out of five traffic accident fatalities involves accidents caused by elderly drivers, raising greater concerns among citizens.

The government has taken measures such as implementing a voluntary license surrender system for elderly drivers, but the surrender rate remains low, causing difficulties. Experts emphasize the need to improve traffic systems for elderly drivers.

The number of elderly drivers is steadily increasing. As of the end of last year, there were 3.34 million drivers aged 65 or older. By 2025, five years later, it is expected that about 4.98 million, or approximately 47% of the population aged 65 and older, will hold a driver's license. Among transportation workers such as bus, taxi, and freight drivers, the proportion of those aged 65 or older is already 17.4%, and among individual taxi drivers, the proportion of elderly drivers reaches as high as 39%.

The problem lies in the relatively lower ability of elderly drivers to respond to sudden situations. According to the "Analysis of Traffic Accident Characteristics of Elderly Drivers and Accident Prevention Measures" report published by the Korea Road Traffic Authority, drivers aged 65 and older tend to have more steering wheel movements to maintain lane position and require more cognitive time to distinguish traffic light colors.

As a result, accidents caused by elderly drivers are not uncommon. This year, a 6-year-old child died in an accident caused by an elderly driver.

In June, near an elementary school in Haeundae-gu, Busan, a man in his 70s made an illegal left turn and collided with a passenger car coming down a downhill slope. After the collision, the passenger car was pushed onto the pedestrian walkway in front of the elementary school, hitting a mother and daughter who were walking. As a result of this accident, the 6-year-old child died, and both drivers were subject to the Min-sik Act.

Traffic accidents caused by elderly drivers are on the rise. According to the Korea Road Traffic Authority, traffic accidents caused by drivers aged 65 and older increased by 144% from 23,063 cases in 2015 to 33,239 cases last year. The number of people injured in accidents caused by elderly drivers also increased annually over five years, from 33,787 in 2015 to 48,223 in 2019.

Elderly drivers are voluntarily applying to surrender their driver's licenses at the Western Driver's License Examination Office in Mapo-gu, Seoul. The photo is unrelated to specific expressions in the article. [Image source=Yonhap News]

In response to this situation, local governments and the central government are encouraging voluntary surrender of driver's licenses by elderly drivers aged 65 and older by providing transportation cards worth about 100,000 won. However, the license surrender rate remains minimal.

According to an analysis by the National Police Agency, there were about 3.337 million licensed drivers aged 65 and older nationwide last year, but only 73,221 drivers surrendered their licenses, resulting in a surrender rate of just 2.2%. This means only about 2 out of 100 elderly drivers surrendered their licenses.

Some citizens pointed out that as traffic accidents involving elderly drivers increase, safety measures should also be strengthened. There are calls for stricter age-related criteria when issuing or renewing driver's licenses.

B (27), an office worker, said, "I often use taxis, and many elderly people drive taxis. Every time that happens, I feel uneasy. I think their reaction speed is slower compared to younger people, so I feel a bit scared while riding."

He added, "For elderly drivers, it seems necessary to shorten the license renewal period according to age. For example, for seniors aged 80 or older, renewing their license once a year might be a necessary measure."

As the risk of traffic accidents involving elderly drivers increases, countries including South Korea are making efforts to prevent accidents.

In Japan, according to the revised Road Traffic Act enacted in March last year, elderly drivers aged 75 and older must undergo a mandatory preliminary lecture and examination before renewing their driver's licenses. If a driver aged 75 or older is caught driving in a manner suspected to be caused by cognitive decline, they must undergo a cognitive function test, individual counseling, and practical driving training. Failure to comply results in license cancellation.

In the United States, elderly drivers must submit a medical opinion along with a fitness test every one to six years to renew their licenses. If classified as high-risk in the cognitive test, they must retake the driving test or undergo a separate driving ability examination.

Experts suggest that improvements to the traffic system for elderly drivers are necessary.

The Korea Road Traffic Authority's Traffic Science Research Institute explained in the "Study on the Main Causes of Accidents by High-Risk Drivers" that "future traffic safety policies for the elderly in Korean society should move toward enhancing the environmental adaptability of vulnerable road users from the perspective of protecting vulnerable road users."

They added, "For elderly drivers, driving is a key factor that promotes a sense of independence and self-reliance as living human beings beyond convenience and economic aspects, giving meaning to their lives. It is essential to create road environments suited to the functional levels of elderly drivers, develop vehicle technologies that can compensate for their functional decline, and provide appropriate information and education to improve individual adaptability."