Jeonnam Province Officially Launches 'Reducing Traffic Accident Deaths Season 2'

[Muan=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Yoon Jamin] Jeonnam Province announced on the 21st that it will embark on the ‘Reducing Traffic Accident Deaths by Half Season II’ starting this year, the first year of the 8th term of the elected government.

Through ‘Reducing Traffic Accident Deaths by Half Season II,’ the province plans to begin entering the 100s in traffic accident deaths in 2023 and reduce the number by 50% by 2026, aiming to leap forward as an advanced traffic safety region.

Since the start of the 7th term of the elected government in 2018, the province, at the suggestion of Governor Kim Young-rok, has promoted the policy of ‘Reducing Traffic Accident Deaths by Half,’ achieving a reduction in traffic accident deaths from 387 in 2017 to 200 last year, a 48.3% decrease.

This is the lowest figure since traffic accident statistics began in 1977 and laid the foundation for the implementation of the 8th term’s ‘Reducing Traffic Accident Deaths by Half Season II.’

This year, the starting point of Season II, a budget of 46 billion KRW will be invested in ▲establishing an advanced traffic culture ▲focused management of high-risk mobility means such as agricultural machinery and Personal Mobility (PM) devices ▲traffic vulnerable priority consideration policies using Internet of Things (IoT) technology ▲introduction of right-turn traffic signals for pedestrian safety.

To establish an advanced traffic culture, large-scale traffic campaigns and joint crackdowns through public-private-police cooperation, multifaceted publicity, focused safety education for commercial vehicles, and a newly launched safe driving incentive system using freight vehicle operation recorders will be promoted.

For focused management of high-risk mobility means, agricultural machinery accident risk signs will be installed in areas with frequent agricultural machinery accidents, LED safety lights will be attached to walking aid chair vehicles, and an immediate alarm system will be distributed in case of agricultural machinery traffic accidents.

For traffic vulnerable groups, policies to activate voluntary surrender of elderly driver’s licenses will be implemented, and 1,000 lane departure warning devices will be provided free of charge for elderly drivers who cannot stop driving due to livelihood reasons. An automatic extension system for pedestrian signals will also be introduced for children and disabled persons who walk slowly to reduce accidents.

In accordance with the amendment of the Road Traffic Act imposing a temporary stop obligation on right-turning vehicles, ‘right-turn traffic signals’ will be distributed at points with high accident risk between pedestrians and right-turning vehicles.

Unmanned enforcement cameras, roundabouts, speed bumps, and pedestrian path construction projects, which have been steadily promoted, will continue to be expanded, and cutting-edge traffic facilities such as intersection lighting towers, accident risk information displays combined with Artificial Intelligence (AI), and undercover inspection vehicles will be pilot introduced to verify and expand their effectiveness.

Governor Kim Young-rok said, “The significant reduction in traffic accident deaths in the province over the past five years is the result of the efforts of the National Police Agency, related organizations, and all residents,” adding, “We will implement the project to reduce traffic accident deaths by half as the top priority project to protect the lives of residents in Jeonnam and drastically reduce traffic accidents, which account for the largest portion of fatal accidents in the province.”