[Anchor]

A system requiring the installation of anti-drunk driving devices that prevent a vehicle from starting if the driver has been drinking went into effect today (October 26). Drivers whose licenses were revoked for repeated drunk driving must install this device in their vehicles in order to drive again after their disqualification period ends.

Reporter Kim Gyu-ri investigated whether this can effectively reduce repeat drunk driving offenses.

[Reporter]

A passenger car driving the wrong way inside a tunnel crashes head-on into an oncoming van, and a vehicle that suddenly swerves veers onto the sidewalk and plunges downward.

These incidents occurred after drivers with a history of drunk driving got behind the wheel after drinking again.

Over the past decade, the repeat offense rate for drunk driving has hovered around 44 percent. Although the Yoon Chang-ho Act, which tightened punishments for drunk driving, was implemented during this period, there has been no significant change.

To prevent repeated drunk driving, a system has officially taken effect issuing driver's licenses on the condition that an anti-drunk driving device is installed.

The target group reaches 8,000 people annually.

[Kang Soo-chul / Head of Traffic Safety Headquarters, Korea Road Traffic Authority: The target is those who have driven under the influence twice or more within the past five years. After maintaining it for the disqualification period—whether it is two years or five years—they can obtain a normal driver's license...]<br />
Vehicles equipped with this device can only start if the driver blows into the device and no alcohol is detected.

If someone blows into the anti-drunk driving device after drinking, a warning sound and the message "FAIL" appear, and the vehicle refuses to budge even when attempting to start it.

However, there is little difference between the cost of installing the device and the fines for driving an unequipped vehicle.

[Gong Dae-sik / Anyang, Gyeonggi Province: If the fine is similar to the price of the machine, I think some people might just think, why bother installing it, let's just not get caught.]

There are also research findings showing that the repeat offense rate rises again once the period for using the prevention device ends.

[Lee Hae-guk / Professor of Psychiatry, Catholic University of Korea: Since people who engage in habitual drunk driving to the extent of needing this device have a nearly 90 percent or higher probability of a disease called alcohol use disorder...]<br />
Experts point out that for habitual drunk drivers, it is necessary to combine the prevention device with a diagnosis of alcohol abuse severity and professional related treatment.

(Photo: Yonhap News) (Video Reporting: Kim Seung-tae | Video Editing: Seeun Shin | Design: Lee Jong-jung, Yeji, Kang Yoon-jung)