2587 Traffic Accident Deaths from January to October This Year... Increase in Motorcycle and Highway Fatalities

Pedestrian, Elderly, and Child Fatal Accidents Decrease
Gangwon and Incheon Down, Gwangju and Daegu Up

Number of traffic accident fatalities by type from January to October this year. / Source: National Police Agency · Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-joo] The number of traffic accident fatalities from January to October this year was recorded at 2,587, showing a 5.5% decrease compared to the same period last year. While fatalities among vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and the elderly decreased, motorcycle traffic accident deaths increased compared to the previous year amid the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The National Police Agency and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced the traffic accident fatality statistics as of the end of October on the 25th.

By type, pedestrian fatalities were 911, down 12.0% from the previous year, and fatalities among seniors aged 65 and over were 1,122, a 9.9% decrease. Fatalities among children under 13 also decreased by 19.2% to 21.

However, traffic accident deaths caused by two-wheeled vehicles such as motorcycles increased by 9.0% to 446 compared to last year. This is believed to be due to the increase in delivery services such as food orders amid social distancing measures following the spread of COVID-19. Additionally, the number of deaths on highways rose by 8.3% to 183.

Regionally, significant decreases were seen in Gangwon (-30.3%), Incheon (-26.9%), Chungbuk (-15.0%), Jeonbuk (-12.6%), and Seoul (-12.0%), while Gwangju (25.0%), Daegu (16.5%), Gyeongbuk (4.5%), and Gyeonggi (3.9%) experienced increases in traffic accident fatalities.

Furthermore, fatalities caused by commercial vehicles totaled 470, a 10.0% decrease compared to the same period last year. While taxi and bus fatalities decreased, rental car fatalities increased by 25.4%.

The government is currently promoting focused inspections and crackdowns on drunk driving, commercial vehicles such as freight trucks, highways, and two-wheeled vehicles to minimize traffic accident fatalities by the end of the year.

The National Police Agency and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport emphasized, "Public interest and participation are most important to reduce traffic accident fatalities," and urged, "Please actively participate in establishing an advanced traffic culture, including compliance with traffic laws such as eradicating drunk driving during the year-end and New Year holidays and prioritizing pedestrian safety."