"Can Drunk Driving Not Be Cured?" ... 44% Do It Again

\r\n
[Financial News] The repeat-offense rate for drunk driving has remained stuck in the 40% range.
Samsung Traffic Safety Research Institute of Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance announced the results of its analysis of drunk-driving repeat offenses and passenger involvement on the 30th. The study was based on Korean National Police Agency statistics on drunk-driving crackdowns over the past 10 years, from 2015 to 2024, and traffic accident data from the past five years, from 2019 to 2024.
According to the analysis, the number of drunk-driving crackdowns fell by more than half, from 243,000 cases in 2015 to 118,000 in 2024.
However, the repeat-offense rate did not move out of the 43% to 45% range and stayed at an average of 43.9%. Even after the Yoon Chang-ho Act took effect, the level remained similar, suggesting that tougher penalties have had only a limited effect.
Drunk-driving crashes have also been declining, but they still occur more than 30 times a day on average. In 2024, there were 11,037 drunk-driving accidents, down about 36% from 2020.
Still, the structure of these accidents cannot be seen as a simple decline. Based on insurance claims handled by Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance, 12.0% of drunk-driving accidents involved a passenger in the vehicle. Applying Korean National Police Agency statistics, that translates to an estimated 8,000 or more passenger-involved crashes a year.
In particular, the presence of a passenger changed the type of accidents. Compared with solo driving, crashes involving a passenger showed a higher share of incidents that required judgment and intervention, such as lane changes, signal violations, and intersection violations.
The share of lane-change accidents rose from 12.5% to 18.2%, signal violations increased from 5.8% to 8.1%, and intersection violations climbed from 3.3% to 6.8%.
The institute said conversations and interventions from passengers can distract drivers and increase the risk of accidents.
Penalties for aiding drunk driving already exist, but their effectiveness appears limited. Over the past five years, the number of people arrested on suspicion of aiding drunk driving was estimated at 977, only about 10% of the estimated number of passenger-involved cases.
Under current law, aiding and abetting charges can be applied, but actual punishment cases remain limited because intent is difficult to prove. Discussions on revising the law are continuing, but the issue has not yet moved beyond the policy stage.
"Drunk driving is not just an individual problem, but a social risk combined with the surrounding environment," the institute said. "We need clear standards for passenger complicity, along with expanded participatory prevention campaigns."
imne@fnnews.com Hong Ye-ji Reporter