Traffic Accident Deaths Decrease by 26% Over 3 Years... "Reducing to 2,000s Next Year"

[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Jiwon] As a result of the government establishing and implementing a comprehensive traffic safety plan jointly across ministries in January 2018, the number of traffic accident fatalities has decreased by approximately 26.4% over the past three years. The government plans to improve the system with the goal of reducing traffic accident deaths to the 2,000 range by next year.

According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport on the 1st, the number of traffic accident fatalities has been on a downward trend, from 4,185 in 2017 to 3,781 in 2018, 3,349 in 2019, and 3,081 in 2020. In 2018, the number dropped to the 3,000 range for the first time in 42 years, and the average annual fatality reduction rate over the past three years was 9.7%, the highest level in 20 years.

The number of traffic accident deaths per 100,000 people also improved from 8.1 in 2017 to 5.9 last year, approaching the OECD average (5.6 in 2018). However, pedestrians accounted for an average of 1,488 deaths per year over three years, about 40% of total fatalities, which is twice the OECD average (20.5%). This ranks 27th out of 28 OECD countries.

The government has made efforts to reduce traffic accident fatalities by establishing comprehensive traffic safety plans jointly with related ministries. In March, it also established and is implementing the '2021 Traffic Accident Fatality Reduction Plan,' which includes building a pedestrian-first traffic system and strengthening safety in vulnerable areas such as freight vehicles and two-wheelers.

The government plans to expand the 'Safe Speed 5030' policy, which lowers vehicle speed limits in urban areas nationwide, expand the obligation for vehicles to stop temporarily before crosswalks, and strengthen laws and systems prioritizing pedestrians, such as increasing liability for accidents at crosswalks and in school zones. Additionally, it will enforce full insurance reimbursement claims for accidents involving drunk driving, unlicensed driving, and hit-and-run, and restrict repair cost claims to the other party in cases of 12 major serious violations, thereby strengthening insurance liability for driver negligence accidents.

In this regard, Hwang Seong-gyu, the 2nd Vice Minister of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, visited the Korea Transportation Safety Authority on the same day to check the progress of traffic safety measures. Vice Minister Hwang said, "Let us work together with all-out efforts to achieve the goal of reducing traffic accident fatalities to the 2,000 range by 2022," adding, "Not only government management strengthening such as expanding safety facilities in vulnerable areas but also drivers’ compliance with safety rules is of utmost importance."

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