Educational Statistics

Current Status on School Safety Accidents Based on School Safety Accident Statistics

Author: Lee Jin-woo (Deputy Researcher, KEDI)

 

Due to court rulings that held individual teachers responsible for accidents occurring during field trips, educational activities have been shrinking, and as a result, an amendment to the School Safety Act was implemented this year. Nevertheless, owing to the lack of on-site guidelines and growing concerns, frequent cancellations or postponements of field trips are still occurring. The purpose of this paper is to provide basic data necessary for preparing on-site guidelines by examining recent trends and current status of school safety accidents through the “School Safety Accident and Compensation Statistics” published by the School Safety and Insurance Association.

 

■ Trends in the Number of School Safety Accidents: Overall and by School Level

The trend in the total number of school safety accidents from 2000 to the present is shown in [Figure 1]. The number of school safety accidents increased from 41,940 cases in 2020 to 93,147 in 2021, 149,339 in 2022, and 193,177 in 2023. [Figure 2] illustrates the trend in school safety accidents by school level. The number of accidents has been rising across all school levels. While the number of accidents was similar at approximately 11,000 cases for each school level in 2020, figures have since risen sharply, particularly in elementary and middle schools.

 

 

To examine the rise in accidents more closely, we look into the 2023 data on accident location, time, type, and body part affected by school level.

 

 

■ Trend in the Number of School Safety Accidents: Overall and by School Level

[Figure 3] shows the distribution of school safety accidents by accident location according to school level. In all school levels, the highest proportion of school safety accidents occurred in auxiliary facilities, such as auditoriums, gyms, teacher offices, restroom, cafeterias, and dormitories. In elementary schools, the proportion of school safety accidents was highest in the order of class room 20.6% > playground 19.5% > corridor 18.5% > off-campus 3.9%. In middle schools, it appeared highest in the order of playground 36.5% > corridor 11.8% > classroom 10.3% > off-campus 4.7%. In high schools, it appeared in the order of playground 35.8% > classroom 8.5% > corridor 8.1 % > off-campus 7.4%.

 

[Figure 4] shows the distribution of school safety accidents by activity time. In all school levels, the highest proportion of school safety accidents occurred during students’ voluntary physical activities excluding physical education classes. In elementary schools, it appeared in the order of recess 22.3% > mealtime 16.9% > class time 12.4% > commuting 6.5% > others including school stay and other educational activities 5.1% > special activities 3.3% > school events 3.2%. In middle schools, it appeared in the order of recess 16.5% > mealtime 13.6% > special activities 8.3% > school events 6.9% > class time 5.7% > others 4.8% > commuting 2.7%. In high schools, it appeared in the order of mealtime 14.4% > school events 12.5% > recess 10.5% > class time 7.3% > others 6.6% > special activities 4.4% > commuting 4.0%.

 

 

■ Occurrence of School Safety Accidents by Accident Type and Body Part

 

[Figure 5] shows the distribution of school safety accidents by accident type. In all school levels, the highest proportion of accidents occurred in forms exposed to physical forces, such as collisions with other objects, scratches, punctures, cuts, lacerations, being caught, or being crushed. In elementary schools, falls were the highest at 25.7%, followed by sprains, strains, and other physical impacts occurring during sports activities or movement at 19.2%, collisions with people at 11.9%, and others including contact with or inhalation/ingestion of hot objects/substances, damage-related accidents, disease, traffic accidents, etc., at 4.0%. On the other hand, in both middle and high schools, the most frequent accident types appeared in the order of sprains, strains, and other physical impacts > falls > collisions with people > others. [Figure 6] shows the distribution of school safety accidents by body part. In elementary and middle schools, the highest proportions were in the order of hands > feet > head > multiple body parts affecting 2 or more areas > legs > arms > teeth (oral) > others > abdominal area (internal organs). In high schools, the proportions appeared in the order of feet, 32.7% > hands, 24.6% > legs, 11.3% > multiple body parts, 11.2% > head, 10.6% > arms, 4.3 % > abdominal area, 1.9% > others, 1.8% > teeth (oral), 1.7%.

 

As reviewed above, in response to the steadily rising trend of school safety accidents, it is essential to prepare field guidelines by accident location and time, and to ensure prompt and appropriate compensation for damages depending on the type and body part affected. By doing so, we can better guarantee safe and unrestricted educational activities.

 

                                                           

[References]

School Safety Accident and Compensation Statistics, School Safety and Insurance Association Website. https://ssif.or.kr/reference/statistics.php (Extracted on June 8, 2025)