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South Korean cabbies allowed watching TV while driving
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Despite the obvious dangers, a court in South Korea has ruled in favor of taxi drivers, allowing them to watch TV while behind the wheel. The ruling came after a taxi driver, who was fined about 500 US dollars for using his mobile TV, sued authorities in the capital city of Seoul. Wan Chunning has more.
Seoul is notorious for its heavy traffic, but the country is also a pioneer in mobile television technology. This has created a dilemma for stressed and bored taxi drivers, forcing them to choose between watching the road or their favorite television programs.
Lee Young-hevi, Taxi Driver, said, "I am eager to watch TV when a sports game is on. Usually, I turn on the TV and listen to it rather than watch it but sometimes I can't help but glance at the TV monitor. I also turn it on when passengers want me to."
Lee is not alone, other drivers say they are tempted to watch TV, despite all the risks.
To provide a clear understanding of the dangers, a South Korean institute conducted tests that proved watching mobile television can make driving much more dangerous.
Kim In-seok, Researcher of Samsung Traffic Safety Inst., said, "Watching TV while driving lowers not only drivers' front-observing rate but also their ability to maintain distance with other vehicles, to control driving speed, and to properly deal with any emergency situation."
Despite the dangers, a South Korean court has ruled against scientific results.
The use of mobile television was originally banned by a regulation. But when the ruling was challenged in court, it was deemed illegal because it suppressed a 1993 law which loosened industry regulations.
Police have attributed a number of accidents to driver's watching TV while behind the wheel.
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