Secondary highway crashes up 30% in 4 years, flood damage concentrated in rainy season

The Financial Supervisory Service, the General Insurance Association of Korea and the Insurance Development Institute have issued consumer safety guidelines on secondary highway crashes and vehicle flood damage ahead of the summer vacation and monsoon season in July and August. With long-distance travel and heavy rainfall both peaking during this period, the agencies said drivers should familiarize themselves with prevention measures, emergency procedures and relevant insurance riders before an accident occurs.

According to the FSS, secondary crashes on highways — collisions involving vehicles already stopped due to an accident or breakdown — have been rising every year. The number of such incidents climbed from 50 in 2021 to 65 in 2025, a 30 percent increase over four years. Casualties grew even faster over the same period, rising 46 percent from 63 people (28 killed, 35 injured) to 92 people (25 killed, 67 injured).

Vehicle flood damage is heavily concentrated in the monsoon season. Average summer (July–August) flood losses over the past five years came to 44.3 billion won ($28.9 million), more than double the 20.3 billion won recorded in non-summer months. Of the 7,035 flood damage cases logged over the past five years, 65 percent — 4,589 cases — occurred during the monsoon period. Auto insurance claims for flood damage also skewed sharply seasonal: of 55,011 cases filed over the past five years, 95.7 percent, or 33,490 cases, were concentrated between July and October.

The FSS said ensuring personal safety is the top priority when an accident occurs on a highway, noting that the fatality rate for secondary crashes is roughly five times that of ordinary accidents. It recommended following the four-step "BTOS" protocol developed by Korea Expressway Corp: turn on hazard lights, open the trunk, evacuate beyond the guardrail, and call for help using a smartphone. Once safe, drivers should secure evidence of the accident, then contact their insurer and report to police, in that order.

Drivers should also review safe-driving practices for wet roads during the monsoon season. The FSS advised adjusting travel schedules or taking detours when heavy rain is forecast, checking wipers, tires and other vehicle components in advance, and reducing speed while maintaining a safe following distance. An "emergency evacuation alert service" that uses auto insurance enrollment data to warn drivers about flood-prone areas is also available. However, the FSS noted that the service does not require app installation or clicking any link, and urged drivers to verify that any message comes from the Insurance Development Institute's official sender number or a KakaoTalk-verified channel.

Reviewing insurance riders before departure is also recommended. Drivers heading out for summer vacation should confirm whether they have signed up for an "emergency roadside assistance rider" covering situations such as flat tires or running out of fuel. Coverage under this rider begins at midnight on the day of enrollment, so drivers planning to leave Monday needed to sign up by Monday. Enrolling in a "vehicle standalone accident damage rider," which covers losses from flooding, fire and lightning strikes, also allows policyholders to receive flood compensation without a premium surcharge if they can demonstrate they were not at fault.