Highway Fatalities Up 30%... Nearly Half Involved Cargo Trucks

Police Launch Nationwide Crackdown on Factors Contributing to Accidents
Targeting Cargo Truck Violations, Including Speeding and Lane Violations

Highway traffic deaths increased by nearly 30% year over year through October this year. A significant number of the fatal crashes involved trucks, prompting police to launch a nationwide crackdown.

The National Police Agency said on November 10 that it would step up enforcement against factors causing highway accidents through December 10. Despite sustained efforts by police, highway fatalities stood at 191 as of the end of October, up 41, or 27.3%, from the same period a year earlier. In October alone, fatalities surged 81.3% year over year to 29. Truck-related crashes accounted for nearly half of all highway fatalities, at 48.7% (93 deaths).

A damaged truck is being recovered after a multi-vehicle collision that caused numerous casualties on the Seosan-Yeongdeok Expressway in Sangju, North Gyeongsang Province, in January this year. Yonhap News Agency

During the crackdown, highway patrol units under provincial and metropolitan police agencies will deploy more unmarked patrol cars than usual, concentrating them on accident-prone routes and during high-risk hours. Police plan to crack down on trucks for speeding, failing to maintain a safe following distance, and violating designated-lane rules, with the aim of raising drivers' awareness of traffic laws and deterring violations in advance.

Police will also target trucks that exceed the speed limit while coasting downhill with the gear in neutral. They plan to use mounted enforcement equipment as well as devices such as camcorders.

During high-risk hours, police will also use video evidence to catch vehicles that fail to maintain a safe following distance in accident-prone areas, including tunnels and interchanges (ICs), as well as trucks traveling in upper lanes. In addition, police and other relevant agencies will conduct unannounced mobile inspections at major highway toll plazas and other locations at least twice a week to check whether drivers and passengers are wearing seat belts.

A National Police Agency official urged drivers to "check traffic safety rules for themselves and take part in preventive efforts so they can use highways safely, as fatal highway crashes have recently been rising sharply."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.