Hit-and-Run Accidents Involving Electric Scooters Surge... Gwangju Records the Most Cases Outside Seoul Metropolitan Area

408 Cases in Five Years... 6.7-Fold Increase in Four Years
Widespread Unlicensed Use and Failure to Wear Helmets Among Users
Byungdo Han: "Hit-and-Run Behavior Must Be Severely Punished as a Serious Crime"

Byungdo Han, member of the Democratic Party of Korea.

Over the past five years, Gwangju has recorded the highest number of hit-and-run traffic accidents involving personal mobility devices (PM), such as electric scooters, among non-metropolitan regions. As the use of PMs rapidly increases, concerns are rising that irresponsible driving behavior is becoming widespread, posing a significant threat to public safety.

On September 12, Byungdo Han, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea representing Iksan-eul in North Jeolla Province, analyzed data submitted by the National Police Agency. The analysis revealed that there were 408 hit-and-run traffic accidents involving personal mobility devices over the past five years, resulting in 2 deaths and 430 injuries.

The number of such accidents has sharply increased each year, rising from 22 cases in 2020 to 45 in 2021, 88 in 2022, 106 in 2023, and 147 last year. Experts attribute the surge in accidents to both the growing usage rate of PMs and a lack of driver awareness.

In particular, hit-and-run accidents have shown a marked increase in the Seoul metropolitan area, where electric scooter usage is especially high. In Gyeonggi Province, the number of cases soared tenfold from 6 in 2020 to 60 in 2024, with fatal accidents occurring in both 2021 and 2024, highlighting the severity of the issue. Similarly, Seoul saw an increase from 15 to 26 cases, and Incheon from 1 to 13 cases over the same period.

Among non-metropolitan areas, Gwangju recorded the highest number of hit-and-run accidents, with 25 cases. While there were no such accidents in Gwangju in 2020, the numbers have continued to rise, with 4 cases each in 2021 and 2022, 9 in 2023, and 8 in 2024.

This trend suggests that the growing population of PM users in Gwangju is accompanied by widespread violations of safety regulations, such as unlicensed driving and not wearing helmets. Following Gwangju, Daegu (18 cases), South Chungcheong Province (16 cases), and Busan (13 cases) also reported high numbers of accidents.

Assemblyman Han emphasized, "Even though personal mobility devices are easy to use, they are classified as motor vehicles, so fleeing the scene after an accident constitutes a serious crime. Strict punishment is needed for those who exploit features like easy maneuverability in alleys and the lack of license plates to escape responsibility."

He added, "The police must combine educational and promotional activities with active enforcement. Above all, a multifaceted approach and effort are needed to establish a culture of responsible driving among users."