Busan Traffic Accident Deaths Decrease by 30% Over 3 Years

2017: 162 → 2018: 122 → 2019: 115
Customized Measures for Vulnerable Road Users, Safe Speed 5030, Traffic Safety Facility Improvements
Targeting Reduction of Traffic Accident Deaths to Around 80 by 2022

Trend of Traffic Accident Fatalities Since the Implementation of the Safe Speed 5030 Enforcement.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-woo] The number of traffic accident fatalities in the Busan area has decreased by 30% over the past three years.

According to Busan City and the Busan Police Agency on the 12th, excluding highway accidents, the number of traffic accident fatalities in Busan city was 162 in 2017, 122 in 2018, and 115 in 2019, showing about a 30% decrease over three years.

The number of traffic accident fatalities this year was also recorded as 60 as of the end of July, a 10% decrease compared to 67 in the previous year, continuing the downward trend.

Since 2018, Busan City has set a goal to reduce traffic accident fatalities by half by 2022, following the government's ‘Three Major Projects to Protect the Lives of the People.’

The results of active responses such as developing customized traffic policies and expanding safety facilities appear to have led to the reduction in traffic accident fatalities.

As a tailored measure for vulnerable road users, the city launched the nation’s first ‘Preferential System for Voluntary Surrender of Elderly Driver’s Licenses’ in preparation for the increasing elderly population.

Additionally, since 2018, the city has introduced and operated ‘Elderly Traffic Safety Consultants,’ dedicated personnel for elderly traffic safety education.

Since the introduction of this project, the number of elderly traffic accident fatalities decreased from 77 in 2017 to 53 in 2019.

To establish a pedestrian-centered traffic system, in November last year, Busan became the first city nationwide to introduce ‘Safe Speed 5030’ throughout the urban area. After a six-month guidance period, strict enforcement began in May this year.

In fact, comparing the number of traffic accident fatalities until the end of July after enforcement with the same period last year, total traffic accident fatalities decreased from 32 to 20, a 38% reduction, and pedestrian fatalities especially decreased from 17 to 10, a 41% reduction, showing significant traffic safety effects.

Improvements to road structures and traffic safety facilities have also been expanded since 2018. Each year, about 20 locations with frequent traffic accidents are selected to adjust lanes and carry out traffic safety facility construction.

The installation of roundabouts, fences to prevent jaywalking, and crosswalk floodlights is also being expanded annually. Starting this year, road surface markings will be enhanced with improved reflectivity to make them more visible.

Based on these achievements, Busan City and the Busan Police Agency plan to reduce traffic accident fatalities to around 100 this year and further reduce them to 80 by 2022.

They also plan to promote policies that enhance both safety and convenience, such as ‘Smart Intersections’ that collect real-time traffic volume per lane to operate optimal signal systems, and ‘Smart Responsive Signals’ that minimize signal waiting times at intersections with heavy traffic on main and side roads.

Hwang Soo-eon, head of the Public Transportation Policy Division of Busan City, said, “We will continuously supplement and develop traffic safety policies to successfully achieve the goal of reducing traffic accident fatalities.”

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