Ensuring Safety on the Way to School!... Songpa-gu Expands Traffic Safety Instructors for Elementary Schools

'Traffic Safety Instructors' Accompanying Students on Their Way to School to Be Expanded by 30% This Year

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Songpa-gu (Mayor Park Seong-su) will expand the deployment of ‘Traffic Safety Instructors’ to ensure the safe commuting of elementary school students at the start of the new semester and to prevent traffic accidents.

Traffic Safety Instructors are specialized personnel who assist elementary school students, who are vulnerable road users, in commuting safely to and from school.

They are selected mainly from residents with extensive knowledge of traffic safety and experience in safety guidance, or those working in or experienced with children’s traffic safety-related organizations such as the Green Mothers’ Association.

In response to the increased importance of preventing traffic accidents involving children, highlighted by the implementation of the so-called ‘Min-sik Law’ last year, the district will expand the deployment of Traffic Safety Instructors by 30% starting from March this year.

A total of 32 instructors will be assigned to 12 schools including Gaerong Elementary School, Geoye Elementary School, and Mundeok Elementary School.

The target schools for deployment were determined through a demand survey conducted among elementary schools in the area.

Traffic Safety Instructors will work Monday through Friday, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., gathering students with similar commuting routes according to each school’s commuting hours and walking together to their residences nearby.

Each instructor will be responsible for up to eight students, teaching them proper crosswalk usage, traffic safety education, and various crime prevention measures.

Additionally, the district will deploy 33 ‘Traffic Safety Guardians in School Zones,’ a social job project that received great support from parents last year. These guardians ensure safety around schools, remove hazards on commuting routes, and inspect pedestrian environments, taking responsibility for safe commutes throughout the children’s protection zones in the area.

Both projects will operate from March to December, excluding school vacation periods.

Park Seong-su, Mayor of Songpa-gu, stated, “According to data from the Road Traffic Authority last year, more than half of the pedestrian casualties among elementary school students in the past three years were lower-grade students. Through this project, we will create a safe commuting environment and build a ‘Safe City, Songpa’ where both students and parents can feel at ease.”

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