Improving Frequent Traffic Accident Sites Leads to 72% Decrease in Deaths... Traffic Accidents Down 31%

Ministry of the Interior and Safety Improved 11,803 Locations Until Last Year... Plans to Improve 297 Locations This Year

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The Ministry of the Interior and Safety announced on the 20th that in areas where the local government implemented improvement projects for frequent traffic accident sites, the number of traffic accident fatalities decreased by 72.1%, and the number of traffic accidents decreased by 31.5%.

According to the Ministry, the average annual number of fatalities during the three years before the project was 32.3, but after the improvement project was implemented in 2020, it decreased to 9, a 72.1% reduction. The number of traffic accidents also decreased from an average of 2,262 cases before the project to 1,549 cases, a 31.5% reduction. This shows that even simple traffic safety facility improvements such as installing signal and speed enforcement equipment, traffic safety signs, and road surface markings have a very high project effect.

In the case of Samgakji Intersection at 14 Hangang 1-ga, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, where lane change accidents due to confusion in the direction of travel and frequent pedestrian jaywalking occurred, an average of 16 traffic accidents occurred annually before the improvement. After installing road surface color guide lines to prevent directional confusion and facilities to prevent pedestrian jaywalking, traffic accidents decreased by 50% to 8 cases compared to before the project.

Also, at Sinchon Intersection in Sinchon-ri, Oksan-myeon, Heungdeok-gu, Cheongju-si, Chungbuk, a relatively quiet road where frequent speeding, signal violations, and sudden right-turn merges occurred, an average of 6.3 traffic accidents occurred annually before the improvement. After installing fixed signal and speed enforcement equipment, separated anti-skid pavement, and lane change restriction lines, traffic accidents decreased by 84.1% to 1 case after the improvement project.

In the case of Samgan Intersection in Samgan-ri, Haengan-myeon, Buan-gun, Jeollabuk-do, where flashing signals were operated and the intersection area was excessive, causing reckless intersection crossing by vehicles, an average of 4.3 traffic accidents occurred annually before the improvement. After installing a roundabout, traffic safety signs, and road surface markings, no traffic accidents or casualties occurred after the improvement project.

The Ministry of the Interior and Safety has been promoting improvement projects targeting frequent traffic accident sites since 1988 and has improved 11,803 locations nationwide until last year. This year, it plans to promote improvement projects for 297 frequent traffic accident sites nationwide.

Jung Goo-chang, Director of the Safety Policy Office, emphasized, “It is most important to thoroughly analyze the causes of accidents at places where traffic accidents frequently occur and prepare customized improvement measures,” adding, “To protect the lives of the people, we will continue to promote and manage improvement projects for frequent traffic accident sites, verified for their effectiveness, in cooperation with local governments and the Korea Road Traffic Authority.”

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