Tourists visiting Jeju ahead of the peak travel season are being urged to exercise extra caution when driving rental cars.
According to the Jeju Self-Governing Police Agency on Thursday, a total of 2,414 rental car traffic accidents occurred on the island over the past five years from 2021 to 2025. The accidents killed 26 people and injured 4,032 others.
Rental cars accounted for 11.4 percent of all traffic accidents in Jeju, the only double-digit figure among Korea's metropolitan and provincial governments.
Rental car accidents have continued this month. At around 2:10 a.m. on the 2nd, a rental car driven by a man in his 30s, identified as A, crossed the centerline on a road near Changcheon Three-way Intersection in Sangye-dong, Seogwipo, and collided head-on with an oncoming sport utility vehicle (SUV).
Seven occupants from both vehicles were injured and transported to hospitals, with five of them, including A, sustaining serious injuries. A police investigation found that A's blood alcohol level at the time of the accident was within the license suspension range (0.03 percent to less than 0.08 percent).
By age group, drivers in their 20s accounted for the largest share of at-fault drivers at 23.6 percent, followed by those in their 40s at 20.4 percent and those in their 50s at 20.0 percent. The self-governing police agency is paying attention to the high proportion of drivers in their 20s and novice drivers, who have limited driving experience.
The agency has designated May and June, when tourists flock to the island, as a "special management period for rental car traffic accidents" and sent letters of cooperation to the Jeju Rental Car Association and 113 rental car companies.
The letters call for stronger verification of rental eligibility for drivers in their 20s and novice drivers, who account for a high share of accidents; advance guidance on road conditions such as narrow roads and sharp curves; and thorough vehicle safety inspections.
Tourists can also check the locations of unmanned traffic enforcement devices in real time through QR codes available at information desks at Jeju International Airport.
Based on analyses of accident-prone areas, the self-governing police agency plans to expand safety facilities and step up patrols on major tourist roads.
