A man arranges electric scooters on sidewalks at Mapo District in Seoul, July 31, 2023. Korea Times photo by Jung Da-hyun

A group of young electric scooter and bicycle users in Seoul has been causing growing concerns among citizens due to their reckless driving habits, which pose a threat to the safety of pedestrians and drivers, according to police and safety experts, Tuesday.

Police initiated a stringent crackdown following a posting on social media regarding a planned gathering of reckless drivers in the city last Sunday, but the riders did not appear at the location despite their online bravado.

The group, "Ttareungyi Reckless Driving Group," is named after Seoul's public bike-sharing service, as they typically ride public bikes or electric scooters.

Unlike other reckless drivers who speed only on the road, this group endangers pedestrian safety by riding on sidewalks. They refer to their aggressive and acrobatic maneuvers as “swimming.” Electric scooters and bicycles are prohibited from using footpaths, but the group flouts these rules.

Since September last year, they have been posting videos on Instagram showcasing their dangerous behavior. The account, which has amassed over 3,200 followers, featured 64 posts as of Monday.

An Instragram post of "Ttareungi Reckless Driving Group" shows an electric scooter reaching a speed of 41 kilometers per hour. Captured from Instagram

The drivers have posted videos mocking law enforcement, seemingly to flaunt their behavior.

In their videos, the riders are seen speeding 25 to 30 kilometers per hour on crowded sidewalks, narrowly missing pedestrians. Some clips show them driving in reverse on roadways or engaging in chases with police cars.

Most riders were not wearing helmets or other safety gear and often drove the scooters with one hand while holding a camera with the other. Many of their posts are tagged with hashtags like "runaway" and "aggressive driving."

The majority of the drivers posting these videos are presumed to be teenagers, based on captions like “Riding scooter celebrating graduation from middle school” and “I can do this without a license.”

Since 2021, a driver's license, available to individuals aged 18 and older, has been required to use electric scooters in Korea.

When the group's activities were recently highlighted on domestic television news, the owner of the social media account responded sarcastically, saying, "Thank you for the advertisement." The owner also revealed plans for a gathering of aggressive drivers.

In the post, which is now removed, the group foreshadowed their intention to ride from Seongsu-dong in eastern Seoul to Yongsan in central Seoul, openly mocking police with the statement, "We will never be caught."

Police launch a crackdown near Seongsu Station on Seoul Metro Line 2 in response to reports of a planned gathering of reckless drivers, Sunday. Yonhap

In response, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency deployed 123 officers from nine precincts and mobilized 53 vehicles, including patrol cars and motorcycles, amid concerns that a run-away rally could lead to significant casualties.

The police established 37 strategic points, including areas near exits 1 to 4 of Seongsu Station on Seoul Metro Line 2, which were mentioned as gathering locations, Dosan Road in Gangnam and the northern part of Jamsu Bridge in Yongsan District

Police also issued warnings in advance, stating that such a gathering would be considered a violation of the Road Traffic Act, subject to fines due to the potential for accidents and inconvenience to citizens.

Despite the extensive deployment and crackdown efforts from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday, the drivers did not appear at the scene.

On the same day, police also targeted violations such as not wearing helmets, driving without a license and riding on sidewalks.

In Seongsu, six drivers were apprehended between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m., including a teenager without a license and a woman in her 20s without a helmet.

Rising electric scooter accidents

A man rides an electric scooter without a helmet in Songdo, Incheon, June 11, 2023. Korea Times file

Recently, incidents involving electric scooters have been on the rise, including fatal accidents both for users and pedestrians.

According to the Korea Road Traffic Authority, Sunday, the number of accidents involving personal mobility devices such as electric scooters has surged from 447 in 2019 to 2,389 last year. The number of fatalities also increased from eight in 2019 to 24 in 2023.

The government is implementing various measures to address electric scooter safety, such as reducing the maximum speed and strengthening certification procedures. However, challenges persist in addressing factors like unlicensed driving and carrying multiple passengers.

On July 8, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the National Police Agency (NPA) and electric scooter rental businesses signed an agreement for a pilot project that will lower the maximum speed of personal mobility devices from 25 kilometers per hour to 20 kilometers per hour.

Despite these efforts, concerns remain about the effectiveness of these measures in eliminating scooter-related accidents.

The Road Traffic Act was strengthened in May 2021, but many users are still unaware of their obligations, such as wearing protective gear.

According to the NPA, there were 99,460 recorded violations of personal mobility regulations in the year after the law's revision.

Among these, the most common infractions were failure to wear a helmet with 78,891 cases, unlicensed riding with 9,597 cases, drunk driving with 436 cases and violations of riding quotas with 543 cases.

Experts stress that improving regulations is crucial, but user compliance and personal responsibility are also essential for ensuring safety.

Lee Mi-yeon, a professor at the Korea Transportation Safety Authority, emphasized the need for stricter controls on rental services, including verifying driver's licenses through rental apps, given that many users are young.

"Enhanced police crackdowns are also necessary. Just as we rigorously enforce laws against drunk driving, we need a systematic approach to policing personal mobility devices," she said.

She also highlighted the importance of personal responsibility for safety, noting that individuals of certain age groups are frequently caught riding electric scooters while intoxicated.

"Many people are opting for scooters over taxis for short trips," Lee said.

"Reducing accidents requires a combination of improved regulations, enforcement and individual vigilance."