Secondary crashes on Korean expressways remain unusually lethal, with Korea Expressway Corporation data showing that 138 of 784 highway traffic deaths from 2021 through 2025 followed an earlier crash. That is roughly 18 percent of all highway fatalities in the period, according to figures cited by Maeil Shinmun.
The danger often appears after a relatively minor first collision. Drivers and passengers who stay beside stopped vehicles, argue over responsibility or wait in live traffic lanes can be struck by faster vehicles approaching from behind. The reported fatality rate for these secondary crashes is about six times that of ordinary traffic accidents.
The most dangerous minutes come after the first impact
Police and road authorities generally urge people to move away from active lanes as quickly as possible when it is safe to do so, warn approaching traffic and contact emergency services from a protected location. The underlying lesson is practical: the first crash may be survivable, but remaining exposed on the roadway can create a second and more serious incident.
The latest figures put renewed attention on post-crash behavior rather than only on preventing the initial collision. For drivers, the immediate priority after a highway crash is reducing exposure to moving traffic, especially at night, in poor visibility or where large trucks are present.