Why Did Bicycle Deaths Rise 13.3% in South Korea While E-Scooter Crashes Fell for a Second Year?

Quick answer: E-scooter and other personal mobility (PM) crashes in South Korea fell for a second year in a row in 2025, but bicycle deaths rose sharply. The Korea Road Traffic Authority's analysis of crash data for 2023–2025, reported by News1 on 19 October 2026, shows bicycle deaths up 13.3% to 85 even though bicycle crashes fell — and single-vehicle crashes are far deadlier than collisions for both kinds of rider.

Key facts

• What: National road-safety statistics for personal mobility devices and bicycles in South Korea
• Source: Korea Road Traffic Authority analysis of 2023–2025 crashes, reported by News1 on 19 October 2026
• PM crashes in 2025: 1,915, down from 2,232 in 2024 and 2,389 in 2023
• Bicycle deaths in 2025: 85, up from 75 in 2024 (+13.3%)
• Bicycle crashes in 2025: 5,235, down 6.0% year-on-year

What happened

Crashes involving e-scooters and other personal mobility devices have now fallen for two consecutive years. The Authority recorded 2,389 PM crashes in 2023, 2,232 in 2024 and 1,915 in 2025. PM injuries in 2025 were down 14.9% on the previous year, and the PM fatality rate was 1.2 deaths per 100 crashes — lower than the rate for bicycles (1.6) and motorcycles (2.7).

Bicycles tell a different story. Bicycle crashes fell 6.0% year-on-year to 5,235 in 2025, and injuries also fell, yet deaths rose from 75 to 85 — an increase of 13.3%. Fewer crashes, but more people killed: that is the worrying pattern in the new figures.

Why single-vehicle crashes are so dangerous

For both PM riders and cyclists, the most dangerous crashes are the ones involving no other vehicle: hitting a roadside structure, overturning, or leaving the road. Over the three years covered by the analysis, PM single-vehicle crashes caused 36 deaths — 51.4% of all PM deaths — with a fatality rate of 5.2 deaths per 100 crashes. That compares with 1.0 for PM crashes involving another vehicle and 0.2 for PM crashes involving a pedestrian.

Cyclists face an even starker gap. Single-vehicle crashes accounted for only 716 bicycle crashes over the three years — 4.5% of the total — but for 71 deaths, or 31.7% of all bicycle deaths. The fatality rate for single-vehicle bicycle crashes was 9.9 deaths per 100 crashes.

The Authority pointed out that both PM riders and cyclists have their bodies directly exposed, so a crash can easily lead to serious or fatal injury even without another vehicle being involved.

What the authority advises

The Authority urged riders to follow basic safety rules: wear a helmet and other protective gear, never carry two or more people on one PM device, never ride after drinking, use designated roads, and slow down before entering intersections.

Korea Road Traffic Authority chairman Kim Hee-jung said PM crashes were declining while bicycle deaths were rising, so particular care was needed. He added that the single-vehicle fatality rate was very high, and urged riders to watch their surroundings carefully and follow basic traffic rules such as wearing a helmet.

What happens next

The Authority also warned that autumn brings more outdoor activity, so PM and bicycle use is rising. It repeated its call for riders to slow down at intersections and wear safety gear, saying rider awareness matters more than anything.

Frequently asked questions

### How many cyclists died in South Korea in 2025? 85, up from 75 in 2024 — a rise of 13.3%.

How many PM crashes were recorded in 2025?

1,915, down from 2,232 in 2024 and 2,389 in 2023 — the second consecutive annual fall.

Why are single-vehicle crashes so dangerous for PM and bicycle riders?

Because riders' bodies are directly exposed, a crash with a roadside structure, an overturn or leaving the road can be fatal even with no other vehicle involved. The single-vehicle fatality rate was 5.2 deaths per 100 crashes for PM devices and 9.9 for bicycles.

What safety steps did the authority recommend?

Wear a helmet and protective gear, never carry two or more people on one PM device, never ride after drinking, use designated roads, and slow down before entering intersections.