Police Crack Down on Year-End and New Year’s Drunk Driving... Mouthwash and Throat Candy Also Included
Until February Next Year, Fridays and Saturdays 10 PM to Midnight Across Seoul
Police: "Not Only Punishment but Also Prevention of Drunk Driving"
The police have launched a crackdown on drunk driving to mark the year-end and New Year holidays.
The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency has designated the period from the 27th of last month to February 4th next year as a 10-week intensive period for preventing drunk driving accidents. They conduct simultaneous crackdowns every Friday and Saturday from 10 p.m. to midnight across Seoul, focusing on high-risk areas for drunk driving.
During a special crackdown held on the 9th near the Gangbyeonbuk-ro entrance in Mapo-gu, Seoul, the first drunk driving vehicle was caught just 10 minutes after the operation began. The Mapo Police Station deployed eight officers from 10 p.m. to midnight to conduct drunk driving checks at the Gangbyeonbuk-ro entrance near Hapjeong Station.
A woman in her 60s driving a white foreign car was found to have a blood alcohol concentration of 0.031, which is at the license suspension level. She said, "I had a reunion with my classmates after a long time and drank one bottle of beer," adding, "I had dinner at 5 p.m., so I didn’t expect to test positive on the breathalyzer."
About 30 minutes after the first drunk driving vehicle, a second vehicle was caught. A man in his late 30s who said he drank one bottle of soju tested at 0.170, which is at the license cancellation level.
However, some citizens who gargled or ate throat candy triggered signals on the non-contact alcohol detectors and were mistakenly suspected of drunk driving. Their test results showed no measurable alcohol concentration.
Ji Sang-bae, head of Traffic Team 1 at the Mapo Police Station in Seoul, said, "More drunk driving vehicles are caught during the year-end than on other weekends," and added, "I believe the best way to prevent drunk driving is not to bring your car to company dinners or similar gatherings."
According to the police, from February to November last year, an average of 1.5 drunk driving accidents occurred per month. In contrast, from December of the same year to January of this year, the monthly average rose to 2.5 accidents, showing a 66.7% increase in drunk driving accidents during the year-end and New Year period compared to normal times.
A police official explained, "The purpose of the simultaneous crackdowns is not only to detect drunk driving and punish drivers but also to serve as a preventive measure."
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