Korean Job Discussion Forums

[le-paul]

LEIPZIG, Germany ― Korea again posted the highest fatality rate of pedestrians among the 29 OECD member nations last year, a recent report found Wednesday.

The figures came amid growing attention for walking as an alternative transportation for cars and other motorized vehicles at the 2013 International Transport Forum that kicked off Wednesday in Leipzig, Germany.

In the OECD report entitled “Pedestrian Safety, Urban Space and Health,” pedestrian fatalities made up 37 percent of all road deaths in Korea last year, almost double the OCED average of 18 percent.

New Zealand reported the lowest pedestrian fatality rate at 8 percent.

“Driver negligence and pedestrian behavior are the main causes of collisions,” the report said. “Higher speeds increase the probability and the consequences of a crash.”

More than 20,000 pedestrians die annually in OECD countries. While senior citizens aged 65 or older represent 13 to 20 percent of the population, they account for more than half the total pedestrian deaths, the report said.

OECD nations saw their combined number of road deaths hit a record low last year due to enhanced efforts for road safety, but Korea had the highest rate.

In separate 2011 OECD data, Korea’s death rate in car accidents overall was 11.3 per 100,000 people, the highest figure, followed by Greece with 11.1 and the United States with 10.6 respectively.

The report, authored by a group of researchers from 19 countries together with World Health Organization, pointed out lowering motorized traffic speeds reduces the frequency and severity of crashes, especially those involving pedestrians.

According to their study, the risk of death or serious injury to pedestrians rises rapidly at impact speeds above 30 kilometers per hour. Travel speeds of 30 kilometers per hour can reduce the risk of fatal injury to a pedestrian by more than 80 percent compared to travel at speeds of 50 kilometers per hour.

The report also spotlighted on walking for more efficient and sustainable funding for transport, saying it is inexpensive, emission-free, accessible for all and also has health benefits.

By Lee Ji-yoon, Korea Herald correspondent
([email protected])

[Weigookin74]

[maximmm]

[Sister Ray]

[andrewchon]

[waynehead]

I don't drive, but I don't doubt what y'all say about Korean drivers, as I've heard the same from friends (both Korean and not).

But might the pedestrian street-crossing culture have something to do with this, too? At least where I live in Seoul, it seems like people are always dashing to cross the street, crossing against lights, not looking out for cars b/c they're absorbed in the smartphones, etc etc.

[le-paul]

[Who's Your Daddy?]

^^I'm always surprised by the people I see waiting to cross the street while standing on the curb or even in the road. It's like they have no knowledge of physics.

(do you ever see those women driving that have a look on their face like they're surprised they're driving?)

[KimchiNinja]

Interesting, I've always wondered why more people aren't killed with all the red-light running. Guess lots of people are killed!

Personally I always wait on the sidewalk, then after the light turns green I wait another couple seconds since taxi drivers and scooters will certainly be running the red. It seems like the Koreans around me do the same. Better safe than sorry.

[wanderkind]

[Savant]

The problem is two-fold:

1) Too many Korean drivers can't drive well and don't respect traffic laws.

2) Too many Korean pedestrians are to be honest just complete idiots: eyes down (on smartphones) and ears closed (headphone in) culture who drift through their day with invisibility cloak.

[Hokie21]

I was hit by a car my first month here while I was crossing the road. Guy never stopped, nothing came of it.

[Stain]

[Newbie]

[Steelrails]

I'd add in another factor as well- Late nights and drinking. Korea is abnormally busy into the wee hours of the morning. This is a place where there is no such thing as last call and places everywhere are habitually open until 6AM with people boozing. Visibility and depth perception decreases at night, amplify that with alcohol and you get a perfect storm for late night traffic mishaps with pedestrians.

People say New York is "The City That Never Sleeps", its got nothing on Seoul. Heck, some small towns of 40,000 people have booze districts that go on until 6AM.