23% Increase in Highway Traffic Accidents During Seol Holiday... Tunnels See Up to 84% Rise

Essential Safety Measures: Equipping Vehicles with Safety Devices and Taking Breaks While Driving to Ensure Safety

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Saeyan] The Gyeongsangnam-do Fire Department urged residents to be cautious about safety on the highways during the Lunar New Year holiday on the 10th, as the risk of accidents is expected to increase.

According to the dispatch statistics of the Gyeongnam Fire Department, a total of 90 highway accidents occurred during the Lunar New Year holidays over the past three years: 26 cases in 2018, 19 cases in 2019, and 45 cases in 2020. In particular, last year saw a 136% increase compared to the previous year.

During the holiday period, an average of about 6.9 highway accidents occurred, which is 23% higher than on weekdays. Especially, the accident rate in tunnels increased by 84%.

The main causes of accidents were vehicle collisions (56.7%) and collisions with facilities (20%), with accidents concentrated between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. (43.3%), when many people return home.

This year, although the risk of accidents on the way home may be lower due to the ban on gatherings of five or more people during the Lunar New Year holiday, outings with family units are expected to increase, making residents’ safety precautions even more necessary.

The Fire Department plans to establish safety behavior guidelines for preventing traffic accidents based on dispatch statistics and the accident handling experience of on-site personnel, and will continuously promote these during the holiday period.

Kim Joil, head of the Gyeongnam Fire Department, said, "When you inevitably go out using a vehicle, be sure to equip your vehicle with a fire extinguisher, seatbelt cutter, and accident warning triangle to respond promptly to accidents, and secure driving safety by taking breaks on long trips."

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