Road Traffic Act Revised in May Last Year
Helmet Non-Wearing, Overcapacity, Drunk Driving Violations Persist
Total Traffic Accidents Decreased but PM Accidents Surge
"Awareness Enhancement Needed," Experts Point Out
Two teenagers riding electric scooters without a license were caught by the police while driving on Olympic-daero, a road designated for cars only. Accidents related to electric scooters are increasing every year. Photo by Online Community Capture
[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Jung-wan] As electric scooter-related accidents increase every year, the Road Traffic Act was amended last May. However, even after more than a year since the amendment, electric scooter-related accidents continue to occur frequently. There are calls for new measures due to the lack of effectiveness.
Electric scooter-related accidents are ongoing. According to the police on the 25th, two teenage females riding together on one electric scooter near Seongsu Bridge on Olympic-daero in Seoul were booked on the 22nd for violating the Road Traffic Act (unlicensed driving, violation of prohibition on driving on motor vehicle-only roads, not wearing helmets, and exceeding passenger limits). It was found that they were riding on a one-way, four-lane road on Olympic-daero without helmets and were unlicensed at the time.
On the 10th, a trainee police officer A from the Central Police Academy was caught driving an electric scooter under the influence in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province. The police stopped A, who was not wearing a helmet, and detected the smell of alcohol, leading to a breathalyzer test. The results showed a blood alcohol concentration of 0.105%, which is above the license cancellation threshold.
On the afternoon of May 13 last year, the first day of strengthened electric scooter regulations, police officers from the Traffic Division of Yeongdeungpo Police Station were conducting enforcement and guidance related to electric scooters at Yeouido Hangang Park in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul. [Photo by Yonhap News]
Although safety regulations such as helmet-wearing were established with the amendment of the Road Traffic Act last May, many cases of non-compliance have been reported. According to the National Police Agency, last year there were 58,580 cases of helmet non-wearing violations during crackdowns on personal mobility devices (PM) such as electric scooters and electric bicycles, accounting for about 80% of the total 70,566 enforcement cases. From May 13 last year to May 31 this year, there were a total of 4,078 administrative penalties for drunk driving of PMs, including 2,603 license cancellations and 1,475 license suspensions.
Related accidents have also continued to increase. PM traffic accidents numbered 117 in 2017, 225 in 2018, 447 in 2019, 897 in 2020, and 1,735 in 2021, showing a sharp annual increase. This trend contrasts with the overall traffic accidents (according to the Traffic Accident Analysis System statistics), which decreased from 216,335 to 203,130 during the same period.
The perception of scooters as 'outlaws' on the road is attributed to the rapid growth of the shared scooter industry before the establishment of a domestic regulatory framework. The shared scooter industry was first introduced in September 2018 and grew rapidly between 2019 and 2020. As related accidents and street abandonment issues persisted due to the lack of legal regulations, the government amended the Road Traffic Act last May.
Accordingly, under the current Road Traffic Act, PMs can be operated by adults holding a driver's license or those aged 16 or older who have obtained a Class 2 motorized bicycle license. Wearing a helmet while riding is mandatory. More than one person riding simultaneously on one scooter or exceeding the passenger limit is prohibited, and drunk driving is also banned.
According to the current Road Traffic Act, riding an electric scooter while intoxicated is prohibited. [Image source=Yonhap News]
Despite more than a year since the amendment of the Road Traffic Act, the number of enforcement cases and accidents has not decreased, leading to continued public dissatisfaction. Office worker Kim (in his 40s) said, "I often encounter scooters on my way to work or on weekends," adding, "Since there are so many people riding while drunk, I avoid them because I worry accidents might happen." He also said, "It makes me angry to see people staggering on the road without helmets," and added, "I think the related regulations need to be strengthened."
There are also calls for stronger recognition that PMs are vehicles subject to the Road Traffic Act. Taxi driver Shim (55) said, "I've seen many scooter drivers caught for drunk driving," and claimed, "Because they don't think of it as a vehicle, they ride without much thought even after drinking." He continued, "We need to emphasize that licenses can be canceled and that they are subject to enforcement to change public perception."
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