Vehicles exit Osan Air Base as pedestrians and cyclists cross a South Korean street in September 2024. (Stars and Stripes)
South Korea has strengthened its penalties for drug-impaired driving as the number of impaired motorists inches higher, according to police.
Changes to the Road Traffic Act also make an offense of refusing a police breath test.
A conviction for driving under the influence of drugs starting April 2 will bring a maximum five years in prison or a fine of about $13,600, according to a news release Wednesday from the South Korean National Police. Currently, a conviction can result in three years or a $6,800 fine.
South Korean law defines drugs as narcotics, psychotropic substances, cannabis and stimulants, as well as substances that cause hallucinations or anesthesia.
Drivers under the influence of prescribed medications may be penalized if they are unable to properly operate a vehicle due to low attention, physical function or judgement, according to the release.
“The effects of medications vary from person to person” and “it is difficult to set a specific time after the intake,” the release states.
The revised laws also make a crime of refusing a breath test. Drivers who refuse may face the same penalties for driving under the influence, according to the National Police.
The number of driver license revocations related to narcotics and drugs in South Korea last year rose to 237 cases, an increase of 74 from the previous year, according to police. Traffic accidents linked to narcotics rose from 18 to 31 the same year.
“Drug-impaired driving is just as dangerous as drunk driving, but public awareness is relatively low,” Kim Ho-seung, director of the Life Safety and Traffic Bureau in the Korean National Police Agency, said in the release.
“Because drugs can always cause side effects, drivers must make judgements whether they can drive or not — and if not, driving should not be an option,” he added.