New Anti-Acceleration Safety Device: How It Will Protect Elderly Taxi Drivers in 2023

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Korea Transportation Safety Authority (TS) announced on February 10 that they will launch a program this year to support the installation of advanced pedal misapplication prevention devices. This initiative aims to reduce traffic accidents caused by pedal confusion.

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The device works by disabling the accelerator in abnormal situations, such as when a driver presses the gas pedal more than 80% while traveling under 15 km/h (9.3 mph), or when the engine reaches 4,500 RPM.

In 2023, the Ministry plans to equip 3,260 taxis and small cargo vehicles operated by drivers 65 and older with these devices, followed by a comprehensive safety analysis.

This proactive, tech-based safety measure comes in response to growing public concern over accidents caused by pedal confusion, such as the recent taxi crash in Seoul’s Jongno district that left 15 people injured or dead.

Commercial vehicles like taxis and trucks are a priority for this initiative due to their longer operating hours and higher proportion of older drivers.

The program targets taxi and light truck operators (vehicles with a maximum payload of 1.4 tons or less) aged 65 and up. Applications for corporate taxis will be accepted from February 24 to March 9 through local taxi associations.

Details for individual taxi and truck operators will be announced in March. The program aims to cover 3,260 vehicles: 1,360 corporate taxis, 1,300 individual taxis, and 600 trucks.

Subsidies will cover 50% of costs for corporate operators (20 million KRW (15,000 USD) subsidy with 20 million KRW (15,000 USD) self-pay) and 80% for individual operators (32 million KRW (24,000 USD) subsidy with 8 million KRW (6,000 USD) self-pay). Applications can be submitted through local transportation associations via various methods, including in-person, mail, email, or fax.

Deputy Minister Hong Ji-seon stated, “Advanced technology can significantly reduce pedal misapplication accidents. We’re committed to expanding these safety measures to create a secure environment for both older drivers and the public.”

TS Chairman Jeong Yong-sik added, “We’re working to rapidly deploy these prevention devices to reduce tragic accidents involving older commercial drivers due to pedal confusion.”

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