Long-distance travel during Seol holiday... Check your 'vehicle fire extinguisher' in advance

All Vehicles with Five or More Seats Now Required to Carry Fire Extinguishers
National Fire Agency Urges Safety Checks Ahead of Extended Holiday
Increase in Vehicle Fires Highlights Need for Preparedness

With the extended Lunar New Year holiday including the temporary public holiday, the number of long-distance drivers is expected to increase. The National Fire Agency urged drivers to check certain items before embarking on long-distance trips.

On the 27th, the National Fire Agency emphasized the mandatory provision of 'vehicle fire extinguishers' in preparation for the increased number of long-distance vehicles during the extended holiday. Following the revision of the 'Act on the Installation and Management of Firefighting Facilities,' the obligation to carry vehicle fire extinguishers has been expanded since December last year to include all vehicles with five or more seats.

Yonhap News

According to data from the National Fire Information Center of the National Fire Agency, a total of 11,398 vehicle fires occurred over the past three years up to 2023. In particular, the number of fire incidents and fatalities has shown an increasing trend each year. Although the total number of fires decreased in 2023 compared to the previous year, vehicle fires increased by 2.2%.

The National Fire Agency urged drivers to carry vehicle fire extinguishers to enable initial fire suppression in case of vehicle fires and to check coolant and antifreeze levels, vehicle battery condition, and tire air pressure before long-distance driving.

Additionally, since there was a chain collision involving 43 vehicles due to black ice on the Seoul-Munsan Expressway on the 14th, the agency stressed the importance of checking weather information and driving cautiously when traveling early in the morning or at night.

The National Fire Agency will maintain the highest level of fire helicopter operation during the Lunar New Year holiday by conducting pre-inspections and adjusting maintenance times in preparation for increased traffic accidents, vehicle congestion, and safety incidents.

Hong Young-geun, Director of the Fire Prevention Bureau at the National Fire Agency, stated, "With the extended holiday due to the designation of a temporary public holiday, the risk of safety accidents has also increased. We ask all citizens to actively participate in safety compliance by minimizing risk factors before traveling and learning how to use vehicle fire extinguishers in advance."

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