Busan Faces Growing Risk from Aging Drivers on City Roads (Image supported by ChatGPT)
BUSAN, May 22 (Korea Bizwire) – A rise in traffic accidents involving elderly drivers in Busan is drawing renewed attention to the urgent need for comprehensive safety measures, as demographic shifts push the city deeper into an aging society.
According to the Busan Metropolitan Police Agency, the latest incident occurred on May 21, when an SM7 sedan driven by an octogenarian veered onto a sidewalk in the Gwangalli Beach area, injuring five pedestrians—two seriously. The car had first struck a curb and rear-ended another vehicle before accelerating into the walkway.
The accident follows a series of similar cases. Last month, a man in his 70s driving a Mercedes-Benz in Gwangalli sped more than 350 meters after a minor collision before crashing onto a sidewalk, killing one pedestrian and injuring another. In March, a septuagenarian taxi driver died after his vehicle suddenly accelerated and hit a building at Gimhae Airport, seriously injuring a passenger.
Data from the Busan police show that traffic accidents caused by drivers aged 65 and older have risen steadily over the past five years. In 2020, elderly drivers were responsible for 1,834 accidents—15.2% of the city’s total. By 2024, that figure had jumped to 2,672 cases, accounting for 23.5% of all accidents. This marks an annual increase of about two percentage points, with nearly one in four accidents last year linked to older drivers.
The trend coincides with Busan’s transition into a “super-aged society” in 2021, when the proportion of residents aged 65 or older surpassed 20%. As of this year, senior citizens hold more than 338,000 of the city’s 2.03 million driver’s licenses—roughly 16.6%. The share of elderly license holders has steadily risen from 12.4% in 2020 to 15.5% in 2024.
Despite being the first city in South Korea to implement a voluntary license return program for elderly drivers in 2018, participation remains low, with only about 3% of eligible individuals surrendering their licenses.
A police official emphasized the need for cultural change to encourage voluntary returns and announced that, starting this year, drivers aged 75 and older will be required to undergo aptitude testing with a new VR-based driving assessment system during license renewals.
As the city’s aging population continues to grow, officials are calling for more proactive and preventative policies to address what is becoming a critical public safety challenge.
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
