South Korean authorities are weighing a proposal that would allow drivers with medical conditions, including dementia, to keep their licenses, but with certain restrictions, such as avoiding nighttime or highway driving.
The plan is outlined in a report commissioned by the National Police Agency and conducted by researchers at Seoul National University. The agency said it is reviewing the recommendations, and that no final decisions have been made.
Among the key proposals is the creation of a third-party reporting system that would allow family members, doctors or police officers to request immediate driving aptitude tests for individuals suspected of being unable to drive safely.
“It is necessary to pursue legislation that allows third parties, such as immediate family members or police officers, to request an aptitude test if a driver is suspected of being unfit to drive,” the report stated.
The goal, researchers said, is to improve road safety through earlier intervention.
Under current law, South Koreans with dementia may lose their licenses if they fail a driving aptitude test. But the test is administered only to those who apply for long-term care under the national insurance system. Those who do not apply can continue driving without being evaluated.
That loophole prompted a public outcry last year after a man in his 70s with early-stage dementia caused a traffic accident in Seoul. He had not applied for long-term care status and therefore had not undergone the required screening.
Critics also point out that even when drivers are in the system, the license revocation process can take up to 10 months, leaving a prolonged period during which at-risk individuals may continue driving.
Roughly 970,000 South Koreans aged 65 and older -- which is about 9.2 percent of that age group -- are living with dementia, according to a March report from the Ministry of Health and Welfare.
The proposal also recommends expanding eligibility for driving aptitude tests to include those with physical health conditions, such as heart disease and sleep disorders.
Researchers argue the current framework, which focuses largely on cognitive and psychiatric conditions, is too limited.
ssh@heraldcorp.com
