(image: Korea Roadkill Prevention Association)
SEOUL, May 24 (Korea Bizwire) — The Ministry of Environment will be joining hands with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport as well as members of civil society to decrease the number of roadkill accidents that occur on the nation’s thoroughfares.
The Ministry of Environment announced yesterday that it was developing new guidelines, in tandem with the Transport Ministry, that would better manage how road accidents involving wild animals will be investigated and handled.
The new guidelines are to be implemented starting May 28.
The creation of a single survey system, improvements on investigation methods, and the establishment of measures to reduce incidents on accident-prone sectors are at the core of the guidelines.
Despite continuous efforts by the government to reduce roadkill accidents, the number of wild animals falling victim to speeding vehicles is on the rise.
The number of roadkill accidents nationwide stood at 5,534 in 2012, but rose three-fold to 17,320 last year.
Experts say that roadkill accidents are also compromising the safety of human drivers.
As each government agency had previously implemented its own measures regarding the matter, critics have continuously called them ineffective and limiting.
The Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, therefore, have decided to combine their investigative units into one.
In addition, a smartphone application developed by Green Korea United based on GPS technology will make it easier for roadkill investigators to survey and take notes on accidents without having to resort to pen and paper.
H. S. Seo (hsseo@koreabizwire.com)
