Car accidents in South Korea involving unlicensed teens rise by 34 pc

According to a Korea Road Traffic Authority report submitted to Representative Kang Deuk-gu of the ruling Democratic Party, teenagers caused 833 accidents last year while driving without a license, a sharp jump from 618 and 689 accidents in 2018 and 2019, respectively, reports Yonhap News Agency.

More than 3,100 people suffered injuries and 63 died in the total of 2,140 accidents involving unlicensed teenagers during the three-year period, according to the data.

About 27.7 per cent of the accidents were caused by 17-year-olds while accidents involving 16-year-olds accounted for 22.5 per cent and 18-year-olds at 21.5 per cent.

The legal driving age is 18 in South Korea.

Kang said the government should come up with measures to prevent dangerous driving by unlicensed teenagers, pointing out that a lot of them rent cars with a fake identity.

"Teenagers must acknowledge that their simple curiosity and desire for driving can become a serious crime that takes away other people's lives," he said, adding that schools should also strengthen traffic and safety education.