One in Three Rental Car Traffic Accidents During Summer Vacation Involves Drivers in Their 20s

[Asia Economy Reporter Seongpil Cho] Traffic accidents involving rental cars during the summer vacation season were found to be most frequently caused by drivers in their 20s.

The Korea Road Traffic Authority announced on the 21st that, based on an analysis of traffic accident characteristics during the vacation period (July 16 to August 31) over the past five years from 2017 to last year, rental car traffic accidents caused by drivers in their 20s averaged 7.9 cases per day, accounting for the highest proportion (30.7%) among all age groups. Drivers in their 40s (20.3%) and 30s (19.8%) followed. The Authority analyzed that "drivers in their 20s tend to be less experienced compared to other age groups and are relatively less likely to own a personal vehicle, leading to higher demand for rental cars."

On the other hand, the age groups of drivers responsible for drunk driving accidents during the vacation season were 30s (22.9%), 40s (21.6%), and 50s (21.2%), with those aged 30 to 50 accounting for 65.7%. Regarding the time of traffic accidents, unlike the usual concentration during the evening rush hour from 6 to 8 p.m. (14.0%), accidents during the summer vacation season occurred relatively evenly during daytime hours (8 a.m. to 8 p.m.), with the highest incidence between 4 and 6 p.m. (12.8%). Regionally, traffic accidents involving drivers from other areas increased in regions where vacation crowds gathered. In particular, Gangwon-do and Jeju-do saw accident increase rates of 29.8% and 19.2%, respectively.

Meanwhile, over the five years, an average of 591.8 traffic accidents occurred daily during the summer vacation season, resulting in an average of 9.6 deaths and 883.6 injuries per day. During this period, about three more accidents occurred daily compared to usual. A representative from the Authority urged, "Since traffic volume increases and long-distance travel is common during the summer vacation season, it is necessary to pay extra attention to safe driving by complying with traffic laws and preventing drowsy driving through regular ventilation."

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