This year, traffic fatalities in highway tunnels have more than tripled compared to last year. However, measures to prevent major causes of accidents, such as the 'black hole phenomenon' that occurs upon entering tunnels, have been criticized as inadequate.
According to a report by Yonhap News on October 7, citing data from the Korea Road Corporation provided by Jeong Dong-man, a member of the National Assembly's Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee, there were a total of 554 accidents in highway tunnels from 2021 to 2025, resulting in 48 fatalities.
The number of accidents by year includes 109 in 2021, 96 in 2022, 94 in 2023, 140 in 2024, and 115 in 2025, with all years except 2022 exceeding 100 incidents.
Notably, as of July this year, there have been 13 fatalities in tunnel accidents, an increase of 9 compared to the same period last year, which recorded 4 deaths. This figure has already surpassed last year's total of 7 fatalities.
The National Police Agency and the Korea Road Corporation identified 'decreased attention' and the 'black hole phenomenon' as major causes of these accidents. The black hole phenomenon refers to the sudden darkness experienced when entering a tunnel, which can obscure visibility.
Concerns about the black hole phenomenon increasing accident risks have been raised for years, particularly in long tunnels or areas with consecutive tunnels where drivers may not notice slow-moving or stopped vehicles in time, leading to a higher risk of collisions.
In response, the National Police Agency suggested the installation of spotlights to mitigate the black hole phenomenon. However, it was found that only 4 out of the 1,146 tunnels managed by the Korea Road Corporation have such lighting installed.
Jeong Dong-man stated, 'The Korea Road Corporation must comprehensively assess the risk factors and the effectiveness of existing preventive measures in tunnels where accidents frequently occur. They should develop tailored safety measures, including enhanced lighting to address the black hole phenomenon, to ensure that the public can use highways with confidence.'
* This article has been translated by AI.
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