"Perfect Spring for Outings" Inconsiderate Driving in Bus-Only Lanes Caught Red-Handed

106 Vehicles Cited for Exceeding Passenger Capacity, 13 for Improper Vehicle Type

The police have launched a focused crackdown on violations of bus-only lanes to coincide with the spring outing season.

On April 11, the National Police Agency announced that it conducted enforcement activities together with local police agencies responsible for expressways where bus-only lanes are installed (Yangjae Interchange to Sintanjin Interchange) and roads exclusively for vehicles (Yangjae Interchange to the southern end of Hannam Bridge).

Bus-only lane. The Asia Business Daily DB

The crackdown involved the participation of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency, Chungnam Provincial Police Agency, and Chungbuk Provincial Police Agency, among others, and mobilized a significant number of unmarked patrol cars and regular patrol cars. On the bus-only lanes, which operate from the Gyeongbu Expressway to downtown Seoul (from the southern end of Hannam Bridge to Sintanjin Interchange), the police cited a total of 119 violations, including 106 cases of exceeding the permitted passenger capacity and 13 cases of improper vehicle type.

Currently, the bus-only lane on the expressway is installed and operated on the Gyeongbu Expressway. On weekdays, it operates over a 58.1-kilometer section from Yangjae Interchange to Anseong Interchange, and on Saturdays and public holidays, over a 134.1-kilometer section from Yangjae Interchange to Sintanjin Interchange. The bus-only lane is in operation from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. on both weekdays and weekends/public holidays.

The bus-only lane is reserved for passenger cars and vans with nine seats or more (limited to cases where a passenger car or a van with 12 seats or less is carrying six or more occupants). If this rule is violated, a penalty of 60,000 won and 30 demerit points will be imposed on passenger cars, while vans will be fined 70,000 won and also receive 30 demerit points.

If a driver accumulates 40 or more demerit points, their license will be suspended.

The police plan to carry out proactive crackdowns on major traffic violations, such as overtaking, in conjunction with the increase in school trips and experiential learning activities during the spring season, in order to reduce the risk of serious bus accidents.

Lee Seoyoung, acting director of the Traffic Safety Division at the National Police Agency, stated, "We will strictly enforce regulations against bus-only lane violations, which constitute inconsiderate driving, and will continue to monitor and manage illegal behavior by large buses to ensure that students can take part in school trips and experiential activities safely. We ask for the public's cooperation in establishing a culture of safe driving."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.