The mortality rate of non-natural causes ('external causes' like suicide or accidents) among the elderly in our country is the highest among major Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) nations. Particularly, many elderly deaths from external causes are due to traffic accidents and falls within the home.
The Statistics Research Institute of Statistics Korea (KOSTAT) released an analysis issue titled "Hidden Crisis in an Aging Society: Safety Accidents among the Elderly" (authored by Jeong Ji-bum, professor at Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology) in the winter 2024 issue of 'KOSTAT Statistics Plus' published on the 26th.
The mortality rate from external causes among the elderly (aged 55 to 74) in our country has been the highest among major OECD countries since 2000. Although this rate has been declining over time, it remains higher than in other countries as of 2020.
These results are primarily a result of traffic accidents and falls. As of 2021, the number of traffic accident deaths per 100,000 elderly aged 65 and over was 15.1. This figure is very high compared to the OECD average of 6.8, making our country second after Colombia.
Most were pedestrian deaths. According to the 2023 'Traffic Accident Statistics' from the Road Traffic Authority, pedestrian deaths accounted for 44.4% among the elderly aged 65 and over, followed by motorcycle (15.6%) and passenger car (13.9%) accidents.
The report noted, "It has been confirmed that adequate protection for elderly pedestrians is not being provided." It continued, "Although the National Safety Management Basic Plan includes measures for reducing elderly traffic accident fatalities, such as expanding elderly protection zones and strengthening safety education for the elderly, significant effects have yet to be achieved."
Falls increasingly lead to death with advancing age as well. According to the 'Consumer Injury Surveillance System' (CISS) from the Korea Consumer Agency, the fatality rate from falls has steadily decreased for those in their 60s and 70s but has continuously increased for those in their 80s. These accidents mainly occur at home, with incidents involving ceiling and floor materials being predominantly high, particularly those involving stone or tile flooring.
Regarding this, the report stated, "The state policies related to falls focus mainly on promotions and campaigns for fall prevention, and there is no proper planning or budgeting in place." It further emphasized, "Effective policies for preventing falls should focus on improving various facility environments to prevent fall accidents in everyday life, including walking aids, anti-slip facilities, and floor and lighting maintenance."
Meanwhile, in the case of suicide, another identified external cause, it was recorded that the rate increases noticeably with age. According to Statistics Korea, the number of deaths per 100,000 people last year was ◇ in their teens: 7.9, ◇ in their 20s: 22.2, ◇ in their 30s: 26.4, ◇ in their 40s: 31.6, ◇ in their 50s: 32.5, ◇ in their 60s: 30.7, ◇ in their 70s: 39, and ◇ in their 80s: 59.4. However, the suicide rate among the elderly has been steadily decreasing since 2010.