Gwangju Police, All-Out Effort to Ensure Citizen Safety During Summer Vacation Season

Intensive Crackdown on Two-Wheel Vehicle Traffic Violations and Drunk Driving

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yoon Jamin] Gwangju Police are making every effort to prevent traffic accidents and ensure citizen safety during the summer vacation season.

On the 28th, the Gwangju Metropolitan Police Agency announced that it will promote intensive crackdowns on two-wheeled vehicles and drunk driving to respond to the increasing number of fatal traffic accidents involving two-wheeled vehicles in the Gwangju area.

The intensive crackdown on two-wheeled vehicles will be conducted until next month due to the increase in contactless consumption and two-wheeled vehicle operation caused by the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, which has led to a rise in the share of two-wheeled vehicle traffic accidents among all traffic fatalities.

The proportion of two-wheeled vehicle traffic accidents among all traffic accidents has been increasing, from 12.8% in 2017, 14.7% in 2018, 18.4% in 2019, to 34.4% this year.

On the 25th, in Dongnim-dong, Buk-gu, Gwangju, a two-wheeled vehicle driver died after falling while avoiding a vehicle changing lanes, and on the 20th, a collision occurred between a left-turning vehicle and a two-wheeled vehicle going straight in Sinan-dong, Buk-gu, resulting in the death of the two-wheeled vehicle driver.

In particular, during peak delivery times (lunch and dinner hours) when two-wheeled vehicle operation increases, traffic police and traffic motorcycles will be deployed to conduct visible crackdowns and traffic accident prevention activities.

The police plan to continue focusing on eradicating violations of traffic laws by intensively cracking down on major violations such as running red lights, crossing the center line, and not wearing helmets, especially in accident-prone and habitual violation areas.

They are not only conducting crackdowns but also actively engaging in publicity and educational activities.

Considering the significant damage to two-wheeled vehicle drivers in traffic accidents, Gwangsan and Nambu Police Stations, with the cooperation of the Korea Transportation Safety Authority, have produced helmets for two-wheeled vehicles and distributed them to restaurants and delivery agencies.

They plan to visit delivery agencies to encourage safe driving, provide education and leaflets on the necessity of lawful driving, and collaborate with Gwangju City and the Transportation Safety Authority to produce and attach fluorescent reflective materials to enhance visibility and two-wheeled vehicle safety.

Additionally, they have selected locations with frequent fatal two-wheeled vehicle traffic accidents and accident risk points to display banners (98 locations), VMS (35 locations), and used media reports and TBN to promote the intensive crackdown on two-wheeled vehicles.

Furthermore, they will actively engage in drunk driving crackdowns.

Although there have been no drunk driving traffic accident fatalities in the Gwangju area since April 30, drunk driving traffic accidents have increased by 200% compared to the previous year, and large-scale accidents continue to occur nationwide.

Drunk driving traffic accidents numbered 291 last year (3 deaths, 536 injuries) and 355 this year (9 deaths, 617 injuries).

With the summer vacation season approaching and outdoor activities and traffic volume expected to increase, the police will conduct intensive drunk driving crackdowns until September 7.

Including every Friday, they will deploy maximum available personnel from each police station during vulnerable times at least once a week for comprehensive crackdowns, moving the crackdown locations every 20 to 30 minutes to raise driver awareness.

To strictly respond to aiding and abetting drunk driving, if there is a passenger in a drunk driving vehicle, the police will thoroughly investigate whether the passenger aided the drunk driving from the initial response stage and will book the suspect if the charge is confirmed.

Aiding and abetting drunk driving includes ▲providing the vehicle (keys) knowing the driver is intoxicated ▲encouraging, urging, or conspiring with the driver and riding along ▲neglecting to prevent drunk driving by a subordinate or someone under supervision ▲providing alcohol anticipating drunk driving.

Using the Traffic Safety Council, they plan to maximize effectiveness through customized publicity activities such as distributing card news in collaboration with local governments and related organizations.

A Gwangju Metropolitan Police Agency official said, “During the intensive crackdown period on two-wheeled vehicles, we ask two-wheeled vehicle drivers to comply with traffic laws such as wearing helmets not to avoid crackdowns but to protect their own safety,” and added, “Drunk driving can take not only your life but also others’, so drivers themselves must recognize the dangers of drunk driving.”

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