On the 20th, police and others investigated the scene of a 15-vehicle pileup that occurred early in the morning near the Seohae Bridge on the southbound lane of the Seohaean Expressway, according to the Chungcheongnam-do Police Agency.
To prevent major traffic accidents caused by worsening weather, the National Police Agency will begin enforcing speed limits based on weather conditions. Starting March 1, the police will actively enforce speed limits adjusted according to weather and road conditions on the Seohae Bridge, utilizing variable speed limit signs (VSL) and section control equipment installed since October 2022.
Drivers are required to slow down to the speed indicated by the variable speed limit signs. When it rains and the road is wet or when snow accumulation is less than 20mm, drivers must reduce speed to 80% of the legal limit. In cases of heavy rain, snowfall, fog reducing visibility to within 100m, or when roads are icy or snow accumulates over 20mm, the speed must be reduced to 50% of the limit.
During adverse weather, unmarked patrol vehicles will also be deployed near the Seohae Bridge. Police will inform drivers about ‘mandatory speed reduction during inclement weather’ and ‘unmarked patrol vehicle enforcement’ through banners and road signs. The enforcement criteria in such weather are set at 80% of the usual highway speed limit.
Over the past three years (2023-2025), the average annual death toll from traffic accidents on highways due to sudden worsening of weather and road conditions stands at 6.7. The average annual number of injuries caused by rain, snow, and fog is about 77, with 180 injuries due to slipping incidents. Accidents involving obscured vision due to fog or ice often lead to multi-vehicle collisions, resulting in severe casualties.
The National Police Agency, in collaboration with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport, plans to gradually expand the variable speed limit system to 121 vulnerable areas prone to icing. Kim Ho-seung, Director of the Life Safety and Traffic Bureau of the National Police Agency, urges participation in establishing a safe driving culture that adjusts speed according to weather and road conditions.