Suwon Elderly Drivers to Receive 100,000 Won for License Surrender

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Seo Dong-young] Suwon City will provide local currency (Suwon Pay) worth 100,000 won to citizens aged 65 and older who voluntarily surrender their driver's licenses.

The city has launched the 'Elderly Driver License Voluntary Surrender Support Program' to prevent traffic accidents involving senior drivers. When drivers aged 65 and older voluntarily surrender their driver's licenses, they can receive a Suwon Pay card and a voluntary surrender verification card (driver graduation certificate).

Eligible applicants are residents aged 65 and older with addresses in Suwon City as of the application date who have surrendered their driver's licenses after the announcement date of the 'Gyeonggi Province Local Currency Distribution and Utilization Promotion Ordinance' (March 13, 2019).

Applicants can visit the civil affairs offices of police precincts in the city (South, Central, West), the driver's license test center, or the Traffic Policy Division of Suwon City Hall, surrender their driver's licenses, and submit a support application form.

As of the end of last year, the population aged 65 and older residing in the city was 110,938, and among them, 47,182 hold driver's licenses.

According to the Road Traffic Authority, the total number of traffic accidents in the city increased from 4,764 cases in 2014 to 4,997 cases last year, a 4.89% increase. During the same period, traffic accidents caused by drivers aged 65 and older increased from 272 cases to 421 cases, a 54.78% rise.

The city plans to operate the license voluntary surrender support program for approximately 700 people this year. When the allocated budget of 70 million won is exhausted, the city plans to expand the budget next year.