Most Winter Traffic Accidents Occur in the Morning

Insurers brace themselves for a flood of claims in the winter as snow and ice drastically increase the risk of accidents.

A study by Samsung Fire and Marine Insurance over the last three years finds that an average of 3,363 traffic accidents are reported on snowy days, 18 percent more than on clear days. 

The average daily coverage for traffic accidents on snowy days stood at W31.2 billion, which is 29 percent higher than on clear days (US$1=W1,231). 

Some 7,700 accidents a year are caused by slippery roads, and 67.5 percent of them occurred in snow and 32.5 percent on icy roads. But the average damage from accidents on ice stood at W4.32 million but for accidents in the snow at only W3.84 million. 

Normally the biggest proportion of accidents happen in the evening rush hour between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m., but in winter 32 percent of fender benders occur between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m. when the roads are still frozen.