Many Countries Impose Severe Penalties Like High Sentences and Fines
Unique Punishments Include Walking Home and Volunteering at Mortuaries
On the 7th, the Suseo Police Station in Seoul announced that singer and actor A has been booked and is under investigation for refusing a breathalyzer test under the Road Traffic Act. It is particularly known that A was previously caught for drunk driving in 2011 and had his license revoked. Additionally, a man in his 20s was arrested after fleeing the scene following a drunk driving accident on New Year's Day, which involved hitting a high school senior about to graduate. The victim ultimately died from the accident. It was confirmed that driver B's blood alcohol concentration at the time was above 0.08%, the level for license cancellation.
According to an analysis by the Korea Transportation Safety Authority on drunk driving traffic accidents over the past three years (2020?2022), there were 17,247 drunk driving accidents in 2020 with 287 deaths. The following year, 2021, saw a decrease to 14,894 accidents and 206 deaths. However, in 2022, after the lifting of social distancing measures due to COVID-19, both the number of accidents (15,059) and deaths (214) increased again. The rise is attributed to increased mobility and social drinking as social distancing was lifted.
What is most serious, however, is the recidivism rate for drunk driving. The recidivism rate remains around 40?45% with little decrease. This means that more than 4 out of 10 people caught once for drunk driving commit the offense again.
Upon hearing this news, netizens expressed outrage. They argued that the penalties for drunk driving in Korea are too lenient, which is why accidents caused by drunk driving do not decrease. They unanimously called for Korea to raise sentencing standards for drunk driving, similar to other countries. In fact, many countries impose strict penalties for drunk driving.
In Korea, drunk driving itself is punishable by imprisonment of up to five years, and drunk driving traffic accidents are punishable under the crime of dangerous driving causing death with sentences ranging from life imprisonment to 3 to 30 years in prison. However, in reality, 90% of drunk driving death and injury cases result in suspended sentences or fines. Even when a prison sentence is imposed for fatal accidents, the maximum sentence is less than five years.
China imposes death penalty, Japan up to 30 years imprisonment... Washington State in the U.S. imposes minimum 50 years
China is one of the countries with very strict penalties for drunk driving. When caught driving under the influence, the case is referred to criminal court, where there is no upper limit on the maximum sentence that can be imposed. There is a precedent where a driver in Shanghai who caused a death due to drunk driving was sentenced to death and the sentence was carried out. China also has stricter regulations for drunk driving by commercial vehicle drivers.
Japan, after amending its Penal Code in 2001, established strong penalties allowing up to 30 years of imprisonment for offenders causing death by drunk driving. Fines were also increased sixfold in 2002. In 2007, penalties were introduced for passengers and those who provide alcohol or vehicles. Since then, Japan’s drunk driving fatal accidents have steadily decreased from 1,276 cases in 2000 to 258 in 2012 and 120 in 2022, with the fatal accident rate dropping from 5.8% in 2012 to 4.6% last year.
In New York State, even without casualties, penalties increase for a second or subsequent drunk driving offense, and if there are casualties, the maximum sentence is 15 years imprisonment. Washington State imposes a minimum sentence of 50 years or life imprisonment for drunk driving resulting in fatal accidents.
New Zealand confiscates and sells vehicles... public disclosure of offender information, wealth-proportional fines, installation of drunk driving prevention devices in vehicles
Last year, Kim Ki-hyun, the leader of the People Power Party, is experiencing a drunk driving prevention device at the Mapo Police Station in Seoul. [Image source=Yonhap News]
In New Zealand, when caught drunk driving, the vehicle is confiscated and sold. After the sale, the amount remaining after deducting fines is returned, and vehicle registration is banned for one year. Australia and Singapore publicly disclose the personal information of drunk drivers nationwide, publishing names, ages, and vehicle numbers in newspapers.
In Nordic countries such as Sweden, Finland, and Denmark, wealth-proportional fines are implemented. This system first determines the number of fine days, then calculates the daily fine based on the defendant’s wealth. The total fine is calculated by multiplying the number of fine days by the daily fine amount.
Countries including the U.S., Sweden, Japan, and the U.K. have installed drunk driving prevention devices in vehicles. These devices require the driver to blow into a breathalyzer before starting the engine to confirm sobriety. The device includes a camera function to prevent others from blowing into it.
Walking 30km home, transporting corpses in morgue, and cleaning service penalties also exist
A man sentenced to a morgue volunteer service for drunk driving (left). [Image source=KBS news screen capture]
Some countries impose unusual penalties. In T?rkiye, when caught drunk driving, the driver is taken to a location 30 km away and must walk home. The police monitor to prevent the use of other public transportation. Once the driver arrives home, they are taken to the police station to complete legal punishment.
In some countries, offenders must directly move and clean corpses. Thailand, in addition to fines and imprisonment, has introduced a "morgue service" penalty to reduce drunk driving fatalities. Offenders must clean and transport the bodies of traffic accident victims in the morgue. This is intended to make offenders directly witness the physical and psychological damage caused by their accidents and realize their wrongdoing.
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