Hyundai Marine & Fire Insurance: "Fatality Rate of Slippery Road Accidents in Summer Rains is 3 Times Higher"

[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Hyung-gil] It has been found that when vehicle skidding accidents occur due to speeding on rainy roads during the summer, the fatality rate is more than three times higher compared to general traffic accidents.

According to an analysis of 233,000 traffic accidents that occurred during the summer months (June to August) over the past three years by Hyundai Marine & Fire Insurance's Traffic Climate Environment Research Institute, the frequency of traffic accidents on rainy days was 1.22 times higher than on non-rainy days.

The risk of traffic accidents at night (8 PM to 5 AM) on rainy days was found to be 1.50 times higher than usual nighttime risk.

In particular, skidding accidents on rainy roads increased by 1.75 times compared to non-rainy days, and on highways, they increased up to 2.46 times. The fatality rate of skidding accidents on rainy roads was 3.34 times higher than general traffic accidents, and the rate of serious injuries was 1.98 times higher.

Dr. Kim Tae-ho of Hyundai Marine & Fire Insurance's Traffic Climate Environment Research Institute said, "When speeding on rainy roads, a water film phenomenon occurs between the tires and the road surface, often leading to skidding accidents. When driving on rainy roads, it is safer to reduce speed by more than 20% below the speed limit, maintain a following distance at least 1.5 times longer than usual, and apply the brakes multiple times in a divided manner when stopping."

He added, "During the rainy season, it is important to frequently check the condition of tires and replace them in advance if worn out. Increasing tire pressure by about 10% helps increase friction with the road surface and prevents the water film phenomenon."

Additionally, the institute analyzed vehicle flooding accidents in Seoul over eight years from 2012 to 2020 and found that 82.3% of vehicle flooding accidents occurred when rainfall exceeded 35mm per hour.

The risk of flooding accidents was 4.17 times higher at rainfall of 38.5mm or more (2.016 cases/hour) compared to below that level (0.484 cases/hour).

Vehicle flooding accidents occurred predominantly in the low-lying areas of Gangnam and Seocho districts within Seoul, accounting for 46.0%, and the peak times for these accidents were right after work hours (8 PM to 10 PM) at 18.3%, and just before work hours (6 AM to 8 AM) at 14.5%.

Dr. Kim advised, "Many traffic accidents on rainy roads and vehicle flooding accidents can be prevented in advance with just a little attention and proper response."

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