7 'Seongdong-style Smart Crosswalks' Installed at Haengdang, Majang Elementary Schools and Others

Established on the Commute Routes of All 21 Elementary Schools This Year to Ensure Children's Safety

Smart Crosswalk in front of Majang Elementary School

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Seongdong-gu (Mayor Jeong Won-oh) completed the installation of ‘Seongdong-type Smart Crosswalks’ on the school routes of a total of seven elementary schools in the area, including Haengdang Elementary School, last January to create safe school routes for children.

The ‘Seongdong-type Smart Crosswalk’ is the nation’s first smart crosswalk that integrates eight types of smart safety functions to assist safe walking and prevent traffic accidents.

By installing pedestrian signals on the ground, it helps children who are distracted by looking at smartphones or playing with friends easily recognize the pedestrian signal. When the signal is red and children cross the road, a warning voice alerts them of the danger.

Additionally, if a vehicle violates the stop line, the license plate number of the violating vehicle is displayed on an electronic board to warn the driver, and lighting is installed so that pedestrians crossing the road at night can be easily seen.

A parent of Haengdang Elementary School said, “Watching the Minsik incident, parents sending their children to school worry about their safety every day,” adding, “The smart crosswalk feels like a guardian protecting our children on their way to and from school, which is reassuring.”

In fact, it was reported that one month after the ‘Seongdong-type Smart Crosswalk’ was installed in front of Seongdong-gu Office last October, the number of vehicles violating the stop line decreased by as much as 77.8%.

The installation of smart crosswalks on school routes will continue this year as well. By the end of this year, installations will be completed around a total of 14 elementary schools, including Hanyang Elementary School, completing installations for all 21 elementary schools in the area.

The installation zones are determined through analysis of major traffic accident occurrence areas and field surveys using ‘Seongdong-type Big Data.’ The district, which began a full survey of school routes on the 10th, will conduct a status and data comparative analysis survey of school routes until March 6.

Various district safety school route policies, including the creation of these smart crosswalks, have been activated through ‘Seongdong Residents’ Voice,’ an online platform for collecting residents’ opinions. Parents and residents gathered on Seongdong Residents’ Voice directly raise issues, develop solutions, and carry out various opinions and activities regarding school route safety, which have led to policy reflections.

A representative achievement of the Seongdong Residents’ Voice safety school route research group that increased resident satisfaction is the actual project of creating a safe walking path by installing safety fences, handrails, and anti-slip facilities on a steep school route near Songwon Elementary School, used by daycare and kindergarten children, so that strollers and children can walk safely.

With the enforcement of the Minsik Act in March, the district plans to install unmanned traffic enforcement cameras in all child protection zones and improve and strengthen safety facilities such as speed bumps and anti-slip facilities.

Jeong Won-oh, Mayor of Seongdong-gu, said, “Our goal is zero traffic accidents on children’s school routes,” adding, “We will strive not only to create safe school routes but also to become a smart traffic city where pedestrians throughout Seongdong-gu can live safely and comfortably.”

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