‘Scrapping Flooded Cars is Best Choice for Safety of All of Us’

Korea Transportation Safety Authority (TS) has released guidance on how to prevent secondary damage that may be caused by inundated cars.

As the number of flooded vehicles is expected to rise in the wake of recent downpours, Korea Transportation Safety Authority (TS) has come up with guidance on how to prevent secondary damage that may be caused by inundated cars and issued an alert on the matter.

Inundated cars refer to vehicles, flooded inside while on the move or being parked, which saw their engines malfunction or fail to a flooded engine.

Owners of flooded cars are required to have them scrapped within 30 days after they receive a notice on the total loss from their insurers. If they fail to do so, they may be imposed with a penalty.

Owners of vehicles which undergo the total loss due to flooding are required to have them scrapped in accordance with the Article 26-2 of the Motor Vehicle Management Act. Violators may be imposed of a penalty of less than 3 million won.

Motorists whose engine stopped while passing through a flooded area, with part of their tires getting under water, are advised not to restart the vehicle.

They have to have their car towed to undergo vehicular maintenance services, a step designed to prevent a major loss.

If vehicles undergo heavy damage due to flooding, they are prone to trouble related to things such as inundated electronic components even if they are repaired and maintained.

Scrapping flooded vehicles via the total loss compensation by insurers will be conducive to ensuring safety.

TS has issued a warning that flooded vehicles without total loss compensation might sneak into the second-hand market, causing secondary damage.

Consumers who want to buy used cars may check its maintenance conditions, recorded by repair shops via the website (www.car365.go.kr). The site is operated by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT).

Consumers may see insurance records related to accidents and information on flooding via the car history website.

But if repair shops and insurers do not report repairs and insurance records, consumers find it not easy to see if used cars are flooded or not, so they are advised to scrutinize the inside and outside of the vehicle, including taking it on a test-drive, to find any abnormalities.

The most tell-tale sign is any bad orders sensed by operating the air-conditioner or heater, or checking the inside part of safety belts.

They also have to look into the lower part of vehicles, including the inside wiring of the engine room and fuse box, to see if they have alien matter.

TS President Kwon Yong-bok said, “Special alert ought to be given to the possible damages, caused by the unpredictable malfunction of flooded vehicles even though they are repaired or maintained.”

TS will ramp up scrutiny into whether vehicles are covered by a mandatory insurance while conducting an automobile inspection to build a safe vehicular operation environment and minimize people’s property damages, he added.

Dir.-Gen. Park Ji-hong of the Automobile Policy Bureau at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) participates in a session to demonstrate the functions of Korea Automobile Diagnosis Integrated System (KADIS), being conducted by Korea Transportation Safety Authority (TS) at TS’ Sejong testing center On Aug. 10. (Photos: TS)

Guidance on Operation of EVs in Case of Raining

Korea Transportation Safety Authority (TS) released guidance on how to prevent EVs from flooding amid recent downpours and accidents and ensure the safe operation of EVs in case of heavy rainfall.

TS called for paying heed to ensure the safe operation of EVs in case of heavy rain and to prevent accidents. Motorists are advised not to use chargers with wet hands while charging EVs.

They ought to be cautious of potential flowing water into charging devices. Motorists are advised to refrain from using chargers in case of thunder and lightning storms, and not directing charger connectors toward the sky while charging EVs.

In case EVs are inundated, even though a high-voltage battery itself is insulated, contacting an EV does not cause electrocution, but motorists are advised to stop an engine and get out of an EV.

People are advised not to touch a high-voltage cable/connector and a battery of an EV to ensure safety when flooded water recede from it.

At that time, they need to receive services from a fire station, emergency institution and automaker’s service center.

TS President Kwon Yong-bok said, “I advise people to pay special heed to the operation of EVs in case of heavy rain and always ensure the safe operation of EVs.”