Drugged driving crackdown has prescribed drivers concerned
Published: 01 Apr. 2026, 07:00
![A police officer tests a driver for driving under the influence during a special crackdown on drunk and drugged driving in Gwanak District, southern Seoul, on Dec. 3, 2024. [NEWS1]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2026/04/01/2735c708-9097-4ac5-8ac7-f429c4b0a00c.jpg)
A police officer tests a driver for driving under the influence during a special crackdown on drunk and drugged driving in Gwanak District, southern Seoul, on Dec. 3, 2024. [NEWS1]
As Korea prepares to enforce stricter penalties on drug-impaired driving this week, patients taking medication for psychiatric conditions are growing worried that their treatment could get them in trouble on the road.
Park, an individual being treated for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), recently visited a psychiatric clinic with that concern. Park takes Concerta, a commonly prescribed medication, and began to question whether it might violate the law after seeing posts on social media.
“I spoke with my doctor about whether I should switch medications," Park said. "I decided not to, but I’m still very worried.”
Park's concerns reflect a broader sense of unease among psychiatric patients and doctors as the revised Road Traffic Act takes effect on Thursday. The law significantly strengthens penalties and enforcement for drug-impaired driving, raising punishment to up to five years in prison or a fine of up to 20 million won ($13,100). Drivers who refuse drug testing can also face penalties.
The changes come after a series of traffic accidents linked to drug misuse. But the scope of enforcement has raised questions in medical circles, particularly because it includes a wide range of legally prescribed medications — raising concerns that some patients may arbitrarily stop treatment on their own.
![Police conduct driving under the influence tests in a school zone in front of Yanggang Elementary School in Yangcheon District, western Seoul, on March 4, 2026, as part of a special crackdown for the start of the new school term. [NEWS1]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2026/04/01/09641de8-7819-44b6-96cb-a88d05d823d2.jpg)
Police conduct driving under the influence tests in a school zone in front of Yanggang Elementary School in Yangcheon District, western Seoul, on March 4, 2026, as part of a special crackdown for the start of the new school term. [NEWS1]
If police suspect drug-impaired driving, officers will first conduct field sobriety tests by asking drivers to perform tasks such as walking in a straight line, turning or standing on one leg. They may then administer a rapid drug test. A positive result can lead to further urine or blood testing to identify specific substances.
Authorities have listed 490 substances subject to regulation, including 481 narcotics, cannabis and psychotropic drugs under the Narcotics Control Act, as well as nine hallucinogenic substances under the Chemicals Substances Control Act. The list includes medications commonly used in psychiatric treatment, such as methylphenidate, the active ingredient in Concerta, and anti-anxiety drugs like lorazepam and alprazolam.
For many patients, those medications are not optional. They are part of long-term treatment plans, making the new rules especially unsettling.
“More patients have recently been asking about the revised Road Traffic Act," a psychiatrist said, adding that "doctors are likely to become more cautious in their prescribing.”
![Police stop drivers during a special crackdown on drunk and drugged driving near Seoul National University Station in Gwanak District, southern Seoul, on Dec. 3, 2024. [YONHAP]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2026/04/01/75e863d7-6ded-459a-8b9a-f660491dbb1b.jpg)
Police stop drivers during a special crackdown on drunk and drugged driving near Seoul National University Station in Gwanak District, southern Seoul, on Dec. 3, 2024. [YONHAP]
Medical groups have warned that the vague enforcement standards could lead to unintended consequences.
“If stricter punishment is combined with excessive fear, more patients may stop taking their medication on their own," the Korean Association of Psychiatrists (KAP) said in a statement. "That could lead to a paradoxical situation in which worsening conditions from treatment interruption pose a greater risk on the road.”
Kim Dong-wook, head of the association, pointed to patients with panic disorder who cannot use public transportation and depend on driving.
They "fear being punished if their medication levels are considered too high," he said, adding that “those who need to drive for a living may stop treatment on their own out of concern over enforcement or social stigma.”
“Many accidents stem not from properly prescribed medication but from misuse or illegal use, yet the [scope of punishment] has been expanded too broadly," Kim said.
![A person holds pills in one hand. [ASAN MEDICAL CENTER]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2026/04/01/5084e5ed-c496-476b-b250-fa5b458d876e.jpg)
A person holds pills in one hand. [ASAN MEDICAL CENTER]
Police officials have pushed back on those concerns, emphasizing that enforcement will focus on a driver’s condition rather than the mere presence of medication.
“What matters is not whether someone has taken medication, but whether they are capable of driving safely,” a police official said. “Drivers should make a common-sense judgment not to drive if they are not in a condition to do so.”
Experts say clearer standards and better public communication are needed to ease confusion.
“Medical and legal dosage standards should be clearly defined to determine when a person is unfit to drive,” KAP said. "The public should also be given accurate information about which drugs are subject to enforcement and how patients with valid prescriptions should respond, to prevent unnecessary fear.”
The National Police Agency has begun research on introducing blood concentration standards and defining limits for safe driving. A representative from KAP said officials should consider "categorizing safe driving levels based on drug concentration."
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY KIM NAM-YOUNG [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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