"Giving 100,000 Won for Returning Driver's License?"... Yeongdeungpo-gu Sees Annual Increase in Returning Seniors

Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul (District Mayor Choi Ho-kwon) announced on the 31st that it is receiving great response by providing transportation cards loaded with 100,000 KRW to seniors aged 70 and over who voluntarily return their driver's licenses. This project was established to promote the voluntary return of driver's licenses to prevent traffic accidents caused by elderly drivers, which have been occurring consecutively recently.

Since 2019, the district has been supporting seniors who voluntarily return their driver's licenses with transportation cards in cooperation with Seoul City. Since the implementation of the project, the number of traffic accidents involving seniors aged 70 and over in Seoul has been decreasing annually.

The support targets seniors aged 70 and over registered as residents in Yeongdeungpo-gu who voluntarily return their driver's licenses, specifically those born on or before December 31, 1953, as of 2023. Upon returning their driver's license, they receive one anonymous prepaid transportation card loaded with 100,000 KRW at their local community service center.

The transportation card is provided only once on a first-come, first-served basis. It can be used on buses, taxis, trains, and at T-money affiliated stores such as convenience stores. However, for subway use, seniors aged 65 and over must use the ‘Senior Free Transportation Card’ to avoid fare charges.

If the driver's license is lost, it can be returned by issuing a driving record certificate at the nearest police station civil service office or through the Government24 website, and submitting it along with an ID (resident registration card or passport). This year, the district received 1,238 transportation cards for license-returning seniors from Seoul City and distributed 830 cards as of August. Last year, 554 cards were issued.

Choi Ho-kwon, Mayor of Yeongdeungpo-gu, said, “To prevent traffic accidents caused by the increasing number of elderly drivers every year, we are implementing the voluntary driver's license return system in cooperation with Seoul City. We ask for the interest and participation of elderly drivers in voluntarily returning their licenses. We will continue to strive to establish effective policies to create a safe traffic environment.”