The Day Before Chuseok Holiday Sees Most Traffic Accidents... Police Warn "Beware of Drunk Driving and Drowsy Driving"

Analysis of Chuseok Traffic Accidents in the Last 5 Years
Highway Accidents Increase Compared to Regular Weekends
Undercover Patrol Cars, Helicopters, and Drones Deployed
Crackdown on Speeding and Reckless Driving

Congested highway. Photo by Asia Economy

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-ju] The day with the highest number of traffic accidents during the Chuseok holiday period is the day before the holiday begins in earnest, when people start returning home.

According to an analysis by the National Police Agency of traffic accidents during the Chuseok holiday over the past five years, an average of 825 traffic accidents occurred on the day before the holiday, resulting in 1,200 casualties. During the Chuseok holiday period, the daily average number of traffic accidents was 481, with 865 casualties recorded.

Drunk driving accidents during the Chuseok holiday averaged 56 cases per day, with 109 casualties, representing decreases of 15.2% and 9.9%, respectively, compared to regular weekends. Drowsy driving accidents occurred at an average of 6 cases per day.

However, highway accidents averaged 14 cases per day with 45 casualties, showing an increase of 7.7% in accident numbers and 21.6% in casualties compared to regular weekends. By route, the Gyeongbu Expressway had the highest number with 17.8 cases, followed by the Seohaean Expressway with 9.2 cases, and the Yeongdong Expressway with 7.0 cases.

Traffic Accident Status by Date During Chuseok Holiday / Provided by the National Police Agency

The police, in collaboration with related agencies such as the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the National Fire Agency, local governments, and the Korea Expressway Corporation, will undertake activities to prevent traffic accidents during the Chuseok holiday. To crack down on high-risk behaviors such as speeding and reckless driving on highways, as well as selfish driving like driving on the shoulder and violating bus-only lanes, 21 undercover patrol cars, 16 police helicopters, and 7 drones will be deployed.

Additionally, traffic management will be conducted in major congested areas including highways and connecting national roads, and an emergency transport system will be established among related agencies to transfer emergency patients to regional base hospitals. This will involve the use of 29 National Fire Agency fire helicopters, 7 Ministry of Health and Welfare medical helicopters, 350 119 ambulance teams, and 2,330 rescue towing vehicles.

The police urged drivers to comply with basic traffic laws such as wearing seat belts and to drive safely by taking breaks at rest areas or drowsy driving shelters during long drives. Special attention was requested regarding drunk driving, as intensive crackdowns are underway. A National Police Agency official emphasized, "Due to the recent increase in drunk driving accidents, a special crackdown on drunk driving has been underway since the 18th of this month," adding, "During the Chuseok holiday period, if a driver has had even one drink, they should not get behind the wheel."

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