Recent data indicates that suspected pedal misuse accidents have more than doubled over the past five years. Notably, drivers aged 60 and older accounted for 70% of these incidents, resulting in significant casualties.
On June 4, the Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance Traffic Safety Research Institute released findings from its analysis of major pedal misuse accidents, revealing that from 2021 to 2025, a total of 567 suspected pedal misuse incidents were reported in the media.
The number of accidents rose from 66 in 2021 to 153 in 2025, an increase of approximately 2.3 times. During the same period, the number of fatalities surged from 15 to 51, a 3.4-fold increase.
Among these incidents, drivers aged 60 and older were involved in 400 accidents, representing 70.5% of the total. This figure is nearly three times the 136 accidents involving drivers under 60.
The average number of casualties per accident was also higher for drivers over 60, with 2.8 victims per incident compared to 2.1 for those under 60. Of the total 1,448 casualties over the past five years, 1,115 (77%) were linked to accidents involving older drivers.
Fatal accidents also showed a high proportion of older drivers. In the last five years, there were 93 fatal pedal misuse incidents involving drivers over 60, which is 3.6 times the 26 incidents involving younger drivers. The total number of fatalities reached 132, compared to 28 for those under 60, a 4.7-fold difference.
The majority of accidents occurred at commercial establishments such as restaurants and cafes, with 96 incidents reported. The proportion of fatalities was notably higher in pedestrian areas, including sidewalks, crosswalks, and side streets.
The research institute noted that while accidents at commercial locations often occur at low speeds during parking or reversing due to pedal confusion, incidents in pedestrian areas tend to involve higher speeds as drivers mistakenly accelerate, leading to greater harm.
Park Yo-han, a senior researcher at the Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance Traffic Safety Research Institute, emphasized the urgent need for technology that can detect and control pedal misuse in real-time during driving, particularly for mid- to high-speed situations, to minimize injuries in the event of an accident.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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