The number of elderly drivers in a super-aged South Korea is increasing rapidly and so is the number of traffic accidents involving them. In 2020, elderly drivers accounted for 14.8% of traffic accidents; in 2024, this grew to 21.5%.
According to Korea Transportation Safety Authority data, traffic accidents involving drivers aged 65 and older rose from 31,072 in 2020 to 42,369 in 2024. The growing number of elderly people involved in traffic accidents has revived public concern over elderly driver safety.
While the country’s demographic is a major contributor to the growing number of elderly drivers, calls for stronger safety measures are also growing. Critics mention that possible declines in reaction time and cognitive recognition among older drivers could be a major cause for the rising number of traffic accidents. In 2024 alone, 761 people – about 30% of all traffic fatalities – were killed in accidents caused by drivers aged 65 and older.
Accidents involving elderly drivers have consistently recorded the highest fatality rate among all age groups, remaining more than 40% higher than that of the second-highest age group throughout the 2020–2024 period.
Several cities in South Korea offer transportation credits, taxi vouchers and more incentives to citizens aged 70 and above who surrender their driving licence. However, this scheme has not met with much success. Hardly 2% of elderly drivers have made use of this offer.
Analysts attribute the poor response to continued economic activity among seniors and insufficient public income support in the country. Experts have suggested more targeted approaches.