The Day Before Lunar New Year Holiday Sees the Most Traffic Accidents... "Drive Safely on Your Way Home"

Police Deploy Undercover Highway Patrol Cars and Drones
Focused Crackdown on Speeding and Reckless Driving

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-joo] Traffic accidents during the Lunar New Year holiday period were found to occur most frequently on the day before the holiday, when the main homecoming rush begins in earnest.

According to an analysis by the National Police Agency on the characteristics of traffic accidents during the Lunar New Year holidays over the past three years (2017?2019), the average number of traffic accidents per day during the holiday was 461, with 795 casualties recorded. However, on the day before the holiday alone, the average number of traffic accidents was 755, with 1,096 casualties.

By accident type during the holiday, drunk driving accidents averaged 49 cases per day with 100 casualties, showing a decrease of 18.3% in accidents and 6.9% in casualties compared to regular weekends. Drowsy driving accounted for 6 accidents and 13 casualties, while highway accidents involved 12 accidents and 31 casualties.

By highway route, the Gyeongbu Line recorded the highest average number of traffic accidents per day at 14, followed by the Seoul Ring Expressway (6.7 cases) and the Seohaean Expressway (5.3 cases).

The police will collaborate with related agencies such as the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the National Fire Agency, local governments, and Korea Expressway Corporation to carry out traffic accident prevention activities during this Lunar New Year holiday as well. They will conduct pre-inspections of facilities in areas prone to accidents during the holiday and carry out comprehensive crackdowns on high-risk behaviors such as speeding and reckless driving, as well as selfish driving behaviors like driving on the shoulder and violating bus-only lanes, using undercover patrol cars, helicopters, and drones.

Additionally, to transport emergency patients that may occur during the holiday, an emergency transport system involving fire helicopters, doctor helicopters, 119 ambulance teams, and rescue towing vehicles will be established in cooperation with related agencies, with plans to quickly transport patients to regional base hospitals when incidents occur.

A National Police Agency official said, "We ask everyone to comply with traffic laws during the Lunar New Year holiday and to practice safe driving by taking regular breaks at rest areas or service stations when driving for long hours."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.