Seoul:
South Korean police said on Monday that 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.
The Police said that 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 kilometres (205 miles) southeast of Seoul, on last Tuesday.
The driver admitted that 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 5505 people were killed in 226878 auto accidents in 2010 in South Korea.
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.
The Police said that 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 kilometres (205 miles) southeast of Seoul, on last Tuesday.
The driver admitted that 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 5505 people were killed in 226878 auto accidents in 2010 in South Korea.
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