Highway deaths surge 52% as drivers rely too heavily on cruise-assist features, police say

By Kim A-rin, The Herald Business

South Korean police are stepping up safety measures on highways — deploying more personnel to accident-prone zones and adding safety equipment — after a sharp rise in traffic fatalities this year. Authorities believe the increase is linked to drivers neglecting to watch the road ahead while relying on driving-assistance features.

The Korean National Police Agency said Wednesday it plans to conduct an in-depth analysis of the causes behind the spike in fatal highway accidents in the first half of this year and develop targeted prevention measures based on the findings.

Police traffic statistics show that 96 people died in highway accidents from January through May, a 52 percent jump from 63 deaths during the same period last year. That is the highest figure for that five-month stretch since 151 deaths were recorded in 2012.

A breakdown by accident type shows that secondary collisions — in which a following vehicle strikes a stopped car or person after an earlier accident or breakdown — caused the most deaths, at 15. Accidents in slow-moving or congested traffic claimed 12 more lives.

By location, straight sections of highway accounted for the vast majority of fatalities, with 92 deaths. The passing lane proved especially deadly: 22 people died there, a fatality rate more than twice that of regular travel lanes relative to the number of accidents. Enclosed sections such as tunnels and underpasses claimed 14 lives.

Accidents occurred most frequently during late-night and early-morning hours — between midnight and 2 a.m. and between 4 a.m. and 6 a.m. Between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., large vehicles were responsible for a disproportionate share of deaths, pointing to the need for focused management of drowsy driving among freight truck operators.

The Korean National Police Agency plans to concentrate personnel in high-accident corridors to strengthen safety patrols and install additional enforcement equipment. Safety facilities in tunnels and underpasses will also be reinforced.

"Paradoxically, as vehicle performance improves, fatal highway accidents are increasing due to driver inattention," a Korean National Police Agency official said. "A safety culture of keeping eyes on the road must take hold on our highways."