Road Safety

[Anchor Lead]

The number of yearly deaths from traffic accidents has continued to drop and reached the 3,000 level. However, South Korea has ranked lowest among the member nations of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, in terms of the safety of pedestrians on the road. Here is more.

[Pkg]

Data show that roughly 3,700 people died in traffic accidents last year. It is the first time in 42 years that the number of traffic-related deaths has dropped to the 3,000 level. The decrease is mainly due to a more than 20 percent fall in the number of deaths caused by alcohol-related traffic accidents. This is thanks to the introduction of tougher punishment against driving under the influence. Pedestrians accounted for the largest portion of the victims at 39 percent. Other road deaths occurred when people were getting on motorcycles or into vehicles. It is estimated that in South Korea, 3.3 pedestrians died in traffic accidents per 100,000 people. The number is three times higher than the average among the member nations of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Some measures have been introduced to better ensure the safety of pedestrians, such as crosswalks illuminated at night and roads redesigned to boost pedestrian safety. Elderly people aged 65 or older account for more than half of pedestrian victims. It is necessary to call on pedestrians to exercise extra caution while on the road. However, it's even more urgent to make roads more convenient and safer for people.

[Soundbite] Prof. Lee Soo-beom(Univ. of Seoul) : "Elderly people are more likely to become victims. So it is necessary to introduce policies boosting the safety of pedestrians, such as building more sidewalks."

It was found that fatal traffic accidents most frequently occur between 6 p.m. and midnight.