Are Traffic Safety Regulations a Joke... 4-Month 'Limited Time' Kickboard Regulation Easing

Personal Mobility Device Regulations Eased from 10th
Regulation Strengthening Bill Submitted to National Assembly Plenary Session on 9th

Inconsistent Policies Increase Public Confusion
"Should Have Been Thoroughly Addressed from the Start"
Youth Kickboard Accident Concerns Rise

200,000 Monthly Active Users
Government and National Assembly Underestimate PM

Electric scooter. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-joo] The amended Road Traffic Act, which mainly relaxes regulations on personal mobility devices (PM) such as electric kickboards, is scheduled to take effect on the 10th. However, this bill is on the verge of becoming a four-month "temporary law." This is because the National Assembly plans to submit another amendment that overturns the revised bill to the plenary session on the 9th, one day earlier. Critics say that the inconsistent traffic safety policies are only increasing public confusion.

According to the National Assembly and the National Police Agency on the 7th, the partial amendment to the Road Traffic Act, prepared as an alternative by the chairman of the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee, is scheduled to be submitted to the plenary session on the 9th. This amendment effectively resets the regulations on PM usage to the original state. In particular, it stipulates that to use a PM, one must possess a motorized bicycle driver's license, and penalties such as fines can be imposed if protective gear is not worn or if the number of passengers exceeds the capacity.

The amendment reflects the negative public opinion toward the previously prepared law easing PM regulations. Especially regarding the provision allowing teenagers aged 13 and older to operate PMs without a license, the education sector has even issued a joint statement in protest. Twelve educational organizations, including the Korea Federation of Teachers' Associations (KFTA) and the Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union (KTU), recently held a press conference demanding "strengthening operator licensing standards by requiring traffic safety training or raising the driving age."

However, since the bill strengthening regulations passed as the chairman's alternative, it is expected to pass the plenary session without difficulty. This means that the law strengthening regulations will pass the National Assembly even before the amended law relaxing PM regulations takes effect on the 10th. The new amendment includes a four-month grace period, so full enforcement will begin in April next year. Until this law is enforced, a legal gap will effectively occur.

As traffic safety policies directly related to the public's life and safety change abruptly, confusion has become inevitable. During the four-month grace period, reckless use of PMs by teenagers may increase. With the number of monthly active users of shared kickboards exceeding 200,000, criticism that the government and National Assembly handled the policy without in-depth discussion from the start seems unavoidable. Professor Kim Pil-soo of Daelim University's Department of Automotive Engineering pointed out, "New mobility requires new frameworks (laws), but the biggest problem is trying to fit it into a 50-60-year-old framework in a makeshift manner," adding, "A comprehensive PM management law should be created to address operation conditions, enforcement, safety, and insurance issues comprehensively."

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