S. Korea to Punish Drivers Watching TV
South Korean police said Monday they would propose a new law to punish drivers watching television, following a public outcry over the death of three cyclists last week.
The current law bans drivers from watching dashboard-mounted televisions while driving, but there is no specific penalty.
The televisions, widely used in tech-savvy South Korea, are programmed to cut out when vehicles are in motion but can be easily reconfigured to stay on.
Police said a new law would soon be submitted to parliament.
"There is a public consensus that drivers watching... TVs must be punished", the National Police Agency said in a statement.
A truck driver killed three professional women cyclists in an accident at Euiseong, 330 kilometers (205 miles) southeast of Seoul, last Tuesday.
The driver admitted he was watching television at the time. He was arrested for dangerous driving, not for watching the screen.
Police said many drivers watch television while driving, and residents say some Seoul taxi drivers are among the culprits.
Official data showed 5,505 people were killed in 226,878 auto accidents in 2010 in South Korea.
Source: Agence France Presse
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