Korea Expressway Corporation headquarters. [Korea Expressway Corporation]
Korea Expressway Corporation headquarters. [Korea Expressway Corporation]

Korea Expressway Corporation on Thursday released four key safety and convenience guidelines for highway travelers, as traffic surges toward popular vacation destinations and accident risks rise with heat waves and heavy rain.

Before setting out, drivers can use the "Highway Traffic Information" app to check real-time road conditions, estimated travel times between cities and congestion by route. The corporation also operates a shoulder-lane system — opening shoulders as regular travel lanes — across 59 segments on 16 major routes, covering 371.62 kilometers in total, to ease traffic flow.

The corporation urged all passengers to wear seat belts. Of the 95 highway fatalities recorded in the first half of this year, 27 — or 28.4 percent — involved people not wearing seat belts, a jump of 9.4 percentage points from the three-year average of 19 percent. With family travel picking up during the vacation season, the corporation said seat belt compliance is essential. From Wednesday through Aug. 28, free vehicle inspections are available at 13 rest stops nationwide for visiting motorists.

In the event of an accident or breakdown, the corporation recommended following the "BITBAKS" protocol and using the free emergency towing service. BITBAKS — an acronym for the Korean steps — instructs drivers to turn on hazard lights, open the trunk, evacuate to a safe location such as beyond the guardrail, and report the incident by phone (112, 119 or 1588-2504).

Once safely evacuated, drivers can use the free emergency towing service, available across all expressway sections managed by the corporation, to reach the nearest safe zone. The corporation also operates an "Emergency Evacuation Call Service," which uses Hi-Pass and insurance data to contact drivers of stricken vehicles and guide them to safety.

Several driver convenience services are also in place. At 12 rest stops — including the Anseong rest stop on the Gyeongbu Expressway (Seoul-bound) — variable message signs 1 kilometer before the entrance display parking availability in real time, showing whether lots are open, full or congested. In addition, customers who present receipts from any of 69 rest stops in the Chungcheong provinces and Gangwon Province can receive discounts at 48 nearby linked tourism facilities.

"With traffic volumes rising during the vacation season and accident risks heightened by heat waves and heavy rain, we strongly urge everyone to fasten their seat belts and check their vehicles before departure," a Korea Expressway Corporation official said. "In an emergency, please follow the BITBAKS protocol, evacuate to a safe location, and use the emergency towing service to enjoy a safe vacation."

Meanwhile, Korea Expressway Corporation is running its "Rest Points" program through the end of this year to prevent drowsy-driving accidents and encourage healthy rest habits among drivers.


hwshin@heraldcorp.com