"Let's Prevent School Zone Traffic Accidents"... 14.62 Billion Won Invested, Enforcement Strengthened, and Reporting System Operated

Only 1 Fatality in School Zones Last Year,

But 927 Accidents Reported...

Increase in Vehicle-to-Vehicle Collisions

Expansion of Right-Turn Signals and Diagonal Crosswalks

The government will strengthen on-site enforcement and public awareness campaigns, such as cracking down on illegal parking and stopping in order to prevent traffic accidents in school zones. It also plans to invest 14.62 billion won from the Disaster and Safety Special Grant Tax to expand sidewalks and traffic safety facilities.

Students are going to school at an elementary school in downtown Seoul.

The Ministry of the Interior and Safety announced the "Measures to Prevent Traffic Accidents in School Zones," prepared in cooperation with related agencies, on May 25 to create a safe environment for children commuting to and from school.

The government introduced the school zone system in 1995 and has since implemented various safety measures. As a result, the number of fatalities in school zone traffic accidents has steadily declined. However, the total number of traffic accidents has plateaued. In particular, last year saw 927 accidents in school zones, a 76% increase compared to the previous year.

An analysis of last year’s school zone traffic accidents involving children showed that 528 cases, or 57% of the total, occurred at intersections. Of these, 236 accidents happened at crosswalks. By accident type, pedestrian accidents were the most common at 54%, followed by accidents involving children as vehicle passengers at 26%, and bicycle accidents at 19%.

To reduce traffic accidents in school zones, the government will implement countermeasures based on the following key directions: maximizing the effect of budget investments through selection and concentration, strengthening publicity and enforcement for safe driving, and focusing on managing vulnerable types of accidents.

First, 14.62 billion won from this year’s Disaster and Safety Special Grant Tax will be used to expand sidewalks at 44 schools and traffic safety facilities at 104 locations. The government will increase the number of sidewalks and protective fences around schools to separate vehicles from pedestrians, and will install additional CCTV cameras to prevent illegal parking and stopping that obstruct drivers' views.

All intersections without traffic signals or crosswalks will be equipped with stop signs, and even at intersections with signals, the installation of right-turn signals and diagonal crosswalks will be expanded to prevent accidents caused by right-turning vehicles.

Furthermore, the government plans to intensively promote traffic regulations within school zones, which are often confusing to drivers. The campaign will focus on frequently misunderstood items such as mandatory stops at crosswalks without traffic signals, compulsory stops before turning right, and prohibitions on parking and stopping. On-site enforcement of school zone traffic law violations will be strengthened, and a focused reporting system involving civic organizations will be implemented to encourage the use of the Safety e-Report system for reporting violations.

As the number of "vehicle-to-vehicle" accidents in school zones increased by about 330 cases last year compared to the previous year, the police and local governments will jointly conduct crackdowns on illegal parking and stopping during school commuting hours to manage traffic congestion. The government is also considering designating exclusive pick-up and drop-off zones inside and around elementary schools, and will promote and enforce the routine use of seat belts and child car seats for children riding in vehicles. To prevent bicycle accidents, safety education for children will be strengthened, including instructions to dismount and walk across crosswalks and the use of safety equipment such as helmets and protective gear.

Yoon Ho-jung, Minister of the Interior and Safety, said, "Protecting children's safety is a top priority that our entire society must take responsibility for together," and urged, "I hope everyone will actively comply with traffic laws in school zones so that children, the future of our society, can commute to school safely and with peace of mind."

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