This study aims to analyze the trends in occupational accidents during the lifecycle stages of public road construction projects in South Korea to propose safety management strategies. Public road construction projects present different safety challenges that vary significantly across lifecycle stages including new construction and maintenance. Despite these differences, current safety management practices often overlook the specific risks associated with each stage, leading to an increase in the number of accidents. From 2018 to 2023, public road construction projects in South Korea have reported 959 occupational accidents. The frequency of accidents is increasing, with the highest number recorded in 2023. This trend underscores the urgent need for effective accident management strategies to ensure the safety and success of public road construction projects. In this study, accidents were systematically categorized based on their occurrence within specific lifecycle stages such as the construction and maintenance phases. A detailed analysis was conducted to identify the critical factors influencing accidents, including the specific work process performed at the time of the accident, the causes, and the type of accident. Chi-square tests were employed to compare and determine statistically significant differences in these accident characteristics across various lifecycle stages. Additionally, topic modeling was performed on the narrative descriptions of accidents to uncover recurring patterns, thematic consistencies, and unique risk factors within each stage. The results of statistical analysis and topic modeling were used to develop lifecycle-specific safety guidelines. For instance, the identification of high-risk work processes and prevalent causes in the new construction stage will inform the design of targeted safety protocols such as enhanced training programs and stricter safety regulations. Similarly, findings related to the maintenance stage will be applied to improve existing safety measures, focusing on the most common types of accidents identified in this phase. By applying safety management practices to the specific risks identified at each lifecycle stage, this study provides a foundation for reducing occupational accidents and enhancing the overall safety of workers in public road construction projects.