COVID-19 Social Distancing... Record High Decrease in Traffic Accident Casualties

Trends in the Number of Traffic Accidents and Changes in the Number of Casualties / Provided by the Korea Road Traffic Authority

[Asia Economy Reporter Seongpil Cho] Social distancing measures implemented due to COVID-19 have led to a significant decrease in traffic accident casualties.

The Korea Road Traffic Authority announced on the 8th that the number of traffic accident casualties in 2020, when social distancing began, was 309,275, a 10.4% decrease from 345,061 in 2019. The number of traffic accidents also dropped by 8.7%, from 229,600 cases in the previous year to 209,654 cases. Notably, the casualty reduction rate in 2020 was the highest since traffic accident statistics began in 1970. The Authority explained, "As the number of COVID-19 confirmed cases increased, population mobility and casualty numbers noticeably decreased," and added, "The correlation between population mobility and casualty numbers also weakened depending on the number of confirmed cases."

The Authority predicted an increase in traffic accidents as recent population mobility is recovering to the 2019 level before social distancing was implemented. This aligns with government measures such as introducing 'pedestrian priority roads' to reduce vehicle speeds in areas with high pedestrian accident risks, expanding criteria for Silver Zones, and strengthening enforcement equipment and safety facilities.

The Authority plans to identify high-risk accident zones with heavy foot traffic and conduct pre-inspections of traffic safety facilities. Additionally, they will introduce rear license plate enforcement equipment for two-wheeled vehicles and enhance AI-based accident risk prediction services. Ko Young-woo, head of the Traffic AI Big Data Convergence Center at the Authority, stated, "With the lifting of social distancing and the gradual return to normal life, traffic volume is normalizing to pre-COVID levels," adding, "This is a time when we must put more effort into preventing traffic accidents by driving in compliance with traffic laws and practicing considerate and yielding driving."