DUI ACCIDENTS BY MOBILITY VEHICLES RISE

[Anchor Lead]

A growing number of people use personal mobility vehicles these days, such as electric bicycles and electric scooters, because catching a cab during late night hours is not easy. DUI accidents involving such vehicles are also on the rise, prompting authorities to launch a special crackdown on electric scooters.

[Pkg]

The moment this person breathes into a breathalyzer, the device starts ringing loudly. His blood alcohol level is 0.076 percent, high enough to suspend his driver's license. The vehicle he was using under influence is none other than an electric scooter.

[Soundbite] "You're fined 100,000 won."

This man was also caught for riding an electric scooter without a license. In addition to a 100,000-won fine, he will also be banned from getting a driver's license for one year.

[Soundbite] (Driver without license (VOICE MODIFIED)) : "I didn't know, because it's not my scooter. It's dumbfounding to hear that I can't get a license for one year."

Authorities have launched a special crackdown as a growing number of people are using such vehicles late at night when public transport is limited. Subject to the crackdown are motorcycles, electric bicycles and electric scooters. On Monday night alone, 167 cases of traffic violations involving two-wheelers were detected, such as DUI, driving without a license and failure to wear a helmet. Of those, 102 cases involved personal mobility vehicles like electric scooters. DUI cases involving personal mobility vehicles have surged this year. They have more than doubled among two-wheelers and spiked 80 percent among personal mobility vehicles and more than 40 percent among bicycles. Fatal accidents involving two-wheelers surged nearly 1.5 times year-on-year in the first five months of 2022.

[Soundbite] Ryu Jin-ki(Gwangjin Police Station) : "Drivers of two-wheelers and personal mobility vehicles are prone to serious injury and even death when crashing into other cars or falling over because their bodies are fully exposed."

Police plan to continue the crackdown near bars and clubs as well as in college areas through July.