"Driving Caution During Jangma Season" ... 'Rainy Road Traffic Accidents' Most Frequent in July

Reduce driving speed by 20% and ensure a safe following distance of at least twice the usual length

On the 30th, after the monsoon rain, a vehicle is passing by near Yeoui-Haryu IC in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, creating a splash on the road. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] The Ministry of the Interior and Safety urged drivers to reduce their speed, increase the distance between vehicles, and ensure clear visibility for safe driving during the rainy season when traffic accidents on wet roads are concentrated.

According to the Road Traffic Authority on the 9th, a total of 76,117 traffic accidents occurred on wet roads over the past five years (2015?2019), resulting in 1,712 deaths and 117,027 injuries, totaling 118,739 casualties.

In particular, in July, when rain frequently falls due to the monsoon season, the highest proportion of annual wet road traffic accidents occurred, accounting for 14% (10,728 cases). Among traffic accidents in July, excluding those on clear days, the proportion of accidents during poor weather conditions was highest when it was raining at 69%, compared to cloudy or foggy conditions.

More than half of the accidents, 55% (41,876 cases), were caused by failure to comply with safety obligations, followed by signal violations at 13% (9,535 cases), and failure to maintain a safe distance at 9% (7,009 cases).

By road type, the most accidents occurred on special metropolitan city roads (40%, 30,470 cases) and city roads (33%, 25,479 cases), while expressways had the lowest at 2% (1,826 cases).

By time, accidents began to increase from 4 p.m., exceeding the average (6,348 cases) until around midnight (24:00), with the highest number occurring between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. (15%, 11,178 cases).

Min Kyung-jin, head of the Comprehensive Traffic Accident Analysis Center at the Road Traffic Authority, said, "One reason why there are many wet road traffic accidents in special metropolitan cities and city roads is that accidents occur more frequently during urban travel rather than long-distance driving on bad weather days, and the number of people using their own cars is increasing." He added, "Especially at night when it rains, it is very dangerous because it is dark and the driver's visibility is impaired by rainwater, so special caution is required."

The Ministry of the Interior and Safety emphasized that when it rains, drivers’ visibility is limited, roads are slippery, and using mobile phones or watching DMB (Digital Multimedia Broadcasting) can easily lead to serious accidents, so these should be avoided. Also, due to the hydroplaning effect between tires and the road, car wheels can slip easily, and stopping distances become longer than usual, making it dangerous. Therefore, drivers should reduce their speed by about 20% compared to normal. At this time, since stopping distances are longer, the safe distance between vehicles should be maintained at more than twice the usual distance.

On wet roads, it is recommended to turn on both headlights and fog lights during the day to secure visibility and alert other drivers of your position. Regularly check and replace vehicle wipers, and apply waterproof treatment in advance so that rainwater does not accumulate or flow on the windshield.

Kim Jong-han, Director of the Prevention and Safety Policy Division at the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, advised, "When it rains, short children pedestrians are difficult for drivers to recognize easily, so it is good for them to wear bright-colored clothes that stand out and use transparent umbrellas that do not block the child's line of sight."

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