"Beasts on Board"... Standardization Efforts for the Annoying 'Beginner Driver' Sign

Representative Lee Sang-heon of the Democratic Party Introduces Bill
Providing Benefits to Attachments... Encouraging Voluntary Participation

Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kiho Sung] The unification of excessive beginner driver signs, which cause frowns such as "There is a beast driving" and "Go ahead to the afterlife," is being promoted. In addition, regulations related to elderly driver signs, which have recently been controversial, will also be added. In particular, the plan is to promote voluntary unification by providing benefits to drivers who attach the signs, rather than punishing those who do not.

On the 2nd, according to political circles and the automobile industry, Lee Sang-heon, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, recently introduced the "Partial Amendment to the Road Traffic Act" and the "Partial Amendment to the Parking Lot Act," each containing these contents.

Currently, in Korea, the beginner driver sign is voluntary. The regulation requiring mandatory attachment of beginner driver signs for six months after obtaining a driver's license was introduced in 1994 but abolished on January 29, 1999, according to the Police Agency's self-regulation reform plan. However, major foreign countries such as the United Kingdom, the United States, and Russia still mandate beginner driver signs.

The bill includes provisions to attach signs indicating beginner drivers to establish a culture of mutual consideration among drivers and to unify voluntary standards to eliminate signs that use aggressive or threatening language that annoy other drivers.

Lee Sang-heon, member of the Democratic Party of Korea. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

More specifically, the chiefs of local police agencies and mayors will produce and distribute free of charge signs for beginner drivers, elderly drivers, pregnant drivers, disabled drivers, and drivers with infants on board, according to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety's regulations, and drivers will voluntarily attach these signs to their vehicles.

An official from Representative Lee's office explained, "At the initial stage of preparing the bill, mandatory introduction was also considered, but since mandatory introduction would involve penalties, the direction was shifted to voluntary participation."

The jointly proposed "Partial Amendment to the Parking Lot Act" includes provisions to provide benefits to drivers who voluntarily attach the signs. According to the bill, the existing 50% discount on public parking lots (on-street and off-street) for compact cars and eco-friendly vehicles will also be applied to those who attach the signs.

The official said, "Mandatory introduction would involve penalties, so it would be like creating a new regulation. We prepared the bill to actively encourage voluntary participation by providing benefits such as public parking discounts to those who attach the signs."