Older taxi drivers spook passengers as safety concerns mount

Social Affairs

Published: 01 Jul. 2024, 16:09 Updated: 01 Jul. 2024, 16:12

Older taxi drivers spook passengers as safety concerns mount

Taxi drivers wait for passengers at the taxi stand at Seoul Station in Jung District, central Seoul. [NEWS1]

The public is increasingly worried about the growing number of older taxi drivers, with some passengers even refusing to ride with them due to safety concerns.

Kim Sung-yeol, a 41-year-old office worker, recently experienced a distressing taxi ride with a colleague.

During a 30-minute trip from his office near Sinnohyeon Station in Gangnam District, eastern Seoul, to Pangyo, Gyeonggi, the elderly driver frequently slammed on the brakes, making abrupt stops and starts.

Feeling anxious, Kim thought of complaining but soon gave up, not wanting to confront the gray-haired driver.

"Since this experience, I always check the driver's photo on the taxi app," Kim said. "If the driver looks too old, I cancel and book another taxi."

According to the Korea Transportation Safety Authority (Kotsa) and the Seoul Metropolitan Government on June 23, as of the end of last year, 45 percent of the 235,976 taxi drivers nationwide, or 107,371, are over 65 years old.

This represents an over 29 percent increase in elderly drivers compared to 2019.

The oldest private taxi driver was 92, and the oldest corporate taxi driver was 87.

A passenger takes a taxi at Seoul Station in Jung District, central Seoul. [NEWS1]

The rising number of old taxi drivers on the road can be attributed to relatively easy qualification requirements.

Since 2021, individuals who have not been in a car accident in the past five years and have completed a taxi education program qualify to become taxi drivers, attracting many retired seniors.

Additionally, some senior drivers view taxi licenses as a future investment.

Unlike corporate taxis, private taxis are managed by local governments. However, with an oversupply of licenses — around 49,000 in Seoul — the city hasn't issued new licenses for years.

This means new drivers must buy licenses from retiring drivers, which can cost up to 100 million won ($72,000), though the city says they average around 90 million won.

With prices constantly rising, seniors see this as an investment by reselling the license at a higher price after some time working.

However, the increase in older taxi drivers has raised safety concerns among passengers.

Data shows that elderly drivers are more likely to cause accidents.

According to the National Police Agency, while taxi drivers over 65 account for only 12 percent of all taxi drivers nationwide, they are likely to be involved in 20 percent of car accidents.

Similarly, data from the Korea Road Traffic Authority in 2022 showed that accidents caused by drivers over 65 were the second highest after those in their 50s, with 34,652 cases. Fatal accidents were highest among older drivers.

In January 2023, a taxi driver in his 70s suddenly passed out and died while driving a passenger, highlighting the potential dangers of elderly drivers.

As a result, some younger passengers refuse to ride with older drivers.

A 34-year-old passenger, Kim, recounted a distressing experience.

"Once, it took forever for the driver, unskilled with technology, to type the destination into the navigation," said Kim. "The car behind kept honking, making me impatient. I don't ever want to ride his taxi again."

Another passenger, Lee, a civil servant in her 40s, had a similar frustrating experience.

"I asked the taxi driver with a hearing aid to go to Hongdae, but instead, he dropped me off at Hongje," a 20-minute difference by car.

However, elderly drivers feel the criticism is unfair.

Bang, a 70-year-old driver with 40 years of experience, says he maintains his fitness by hiking every weekend and avoiding overworking.

"In this era where the average life span is 100 years, the perception and physical condition of a 70-year-old is like that of a 50-60-year-old in the past," Bang said. "It's unfair to tell us not to drive."

Lee, 67, also expressed frustration. "It's cruel to cut off my source of income just because I'm old."

Lee argued that younger drivers might get involved in more accidents as they rush to take as many passengers as possible within limited working hours.

Despite passengers' concerns, the taxi industry relies heavily on elderly drivers due to a labor shortage.

The number of taxi drivers in Seoul dropped to 20,077 in March from 30,527 in 2019, according to the Seoul city government.

The operation rate of corporate taxis in Seoul is only 30 percent.

"If elderly taxi drivers leave, the labor shortage in the taxi industry will worsen," said Lee Yang-duk, a senior director of the Korea National Joint Conference of Taxi Association, suggesting alternatives like part-time driving for older drivers.

Other transportation sectors, such as cargo trucks and school buses, rely heavily on older drivers.

Lorry drivers over 65 increased by 65 percent from 34,630 in 2019 to 57,215 in 2023. School buses for academies also attract older drivers, as they only require a vehicle and a cargo transportation license.

Young people tend to avoid driving jobs in these industries.

"Young people avoid lorries as they do not provide enough rest or money," said Yoo Joeng-whon, a transportation professor at Ajou University.

Experts suggest that higher standards for qualification maintenance tests are necessary to address the aging issue among commercial vehicle drivers.

Currently, drivers in transport franchise businesses, including taxi drivers, must take a driving suitability test every three years if they are over 65 and every year if they are over 70.

The test assesses their sight and hearing as well as spatial awareness.

However, since 2019, these tests can be taken at private hospitals, raising questions about their accuracy and effectiveness.

"We need plans to evaluate actual driving capacity per age group, along with ways to develop better safety systems, including mandating safety devices in commercial vehicles," said Kim Phil-soo, a professor at the Division of Automotive Engineering at Daelim University College.

BY LEE BO-RAM, WOO JI-WON [woo.jiwon@joongang.co.kr]