[Photo] Seongbuk-gu, Public-Private-Police Joint Pedestrian Safety Priority Campaign for Pedestrian Safety

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Seongbuk-gu (Mayor Lee Seung-ro) is conducting a joint public-private-police campaign prioritizing pedestrian safety.

This campaign is being carried out to foster a culture of 'pedestrian safety first' in response to the recent increase in threats to pedestrian safety on sidewalks caused by personal mobility devices (hereafter PM), bicycles, and two-wheeled vehicles. It started on the 10th at Naksan Park Trail and Seongbukcheon Fountain Square and will continue for a month until the 30th.

The campaign held early morning on the 20th was attended by about 100 people including the Traffic Safety Division of Jongam Police Station, the Model Drivers Association, the Green Mothers' Association, the Seongbuk Regional Autonomous Disaster Prevention Group, and residents from the district and neighborhoods.

They gathered at Seokgye Station, took photos, and then conducted street campaigns in groups of three at subway station entrances, bus stops, and other places with heavy foot traffic.

According to the Road Traffic Authority, the number of traffic accidents involving personal mobility devices (PM), including electric kickboards, classified as offending vehicles, increased from 117 cases in 2017 to 225 in 2018 and 447 in 2019.

Despite this situation, most PM users were found to be unaware of usage regulations and traffic laws.

A Seongbuk-gu official stated, “Under the current Road Traffic Act, personal mobility devices are classified as ‘motorized bicycles,’ so users must obtain a driver’s license and wear helmets, but many citizens are unaware of this.” He added, “Above all, from December 10, under the amended Road Traffic Act, motorized bicycles with a maximum speed under 25 km/h and total weight under 30 kg will be newly defined as ‘personal mobility devices’ and can be used without a driver’s license, but driving by children under 13 years old is prohibited.” The official explained that this information needed to be shared, which is why the campaign was launched.

Seongbuk-gu has formed a joint public-private-police pedestrian safety first T/F team for the entire month of November before the amended Road Traffic Act takes effect, focusing on online and offline campaigns to foster a culture of pedestrian safety.

Considering the ongoing COVID-19 situation, this campaign is conducted in compliance with quarantine guidelines such as wearing masks, maintaining a distance of at least 1 meter, and dispersing promotion in groups of three.

Lee Seung-ro, Mayor of Seongbuk-gu, said, “If a pedestrian safety culture that all residents empathize with is established through this campaign, illegal sidewalk traffic will decrease, greatly improving the quality of life for local residents.”

For more detailed information about the pedestrian safety first campaign conducted by Seongbuk-gu, please contact the Traffic Administration Division of Seongbuk-gu Office.

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