Deaths from traffic accidents caused by drivers age 65 and older increased by more than 10% in a year.

According to the "2025 traffic accident statistics" that the Korean National Police Agency released on the 16th, traffic accidents involving elderly drivers totaled 45,873 cases, up 8.3% (3,504 cases) from the previous year. During the same period, the number of deaths rose 10.8% (82) from 761 to 843.

The Korean National Police Agency analyzed that the social and structural impact of an aging population is significant, noting that the number of elderly driver's license holders increased 8.9% (460,000), from 5.17 million in 2024 to 5.63 million last year.

A notice is posted at the Seokchon-dong Community Center in Songpa District, Seoul, on Jan. 27, the day before applications open for voluntary driver's license surrender to prevent traffic accidents involving senior drivers. /Courtesy of News1 The Seoul Metropolitan Government moves up the Senior Driver's License Voluntary Surrender Transit Card Support Program from every March to January this year, and says it will distribute prepaid transit cards (200,000 won per person) on a first-come, first-served basis to 35,211 seniors aged 70 or older born on or before Dec. 31, 1956, on Jan. 27, 2026. /Courtesy of News1

Last year, total traffic accidents were 193,889 cases, and those injured in traffic accidents were 271,751, both down from 2024. However, as deaths from traffic accidents involving elderly drivers increased, the number of deaths totaled 2,549, up 1.1% from 2024.

In other types of traffic accidents, deaths generally declined in a year. The numbers of deaths in 2024 and 2025 were ▲ pedestrian traffic accidents, 920 → 926 ▲ cargo truck traffic accidents, 594 → 585 ▲ drunk driving traffic accidents, 138 → 121 ▲ highway traffic accidents, 187 → 185.

Lee Seoyoung, head of the Community Safety and Traffic Bureau at the Korean National Police Agency, said, "As the elderly population and drivers continue to increase, traffic safety measures centered on the elderly are needed to prevent accidents involving elderly drivers and pedestrians."

Police plan to appoint traffic safety leaders within senior clubs in each region to carry out education and publicity activities and distribute safety gear. They will also conduct traveling traffic safety education in parallel.

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