[Report] "Swoosh" Between Pedestrians Crossing... Still No Stop for Right Turns at Crosswalks

30-Minute Observation at Seoul Intersections
12 out of 65 Vehicles Pass Without Stopping
Right Turns Despite Pedestrians Crossing
Insurance Premium Surcharges Applied from New Year
Revised Road Traffic Act Enforced from Second Half of Year

On the 11th, a taxi was driving without stopping at the intersection near Gongdeok Station Five-way Intersection in Mapo-gu, Seoul.

"Oh my, what a surprise. The light is green, so why are the cars..."

On the afternoon of the 11th, Mr. A, in his 70s, who was crossing the crosswalk at the Gongdeok Station intersection in Mapo-gu, Seoul, was startled. The green light was on, and he was crossing the crosswalk when suddenly a car passed by with a roaring sound from behind. Mr. A said, "Even when the green light is on, I have to be extra cautious at the beginning and end of the crosswalk because of cars trying to turn right or left," adding, "For elderly people who walk slowly, the crosswalk is not a safe place." According to about 30 minutes (13 signal cycles) of observation at the Gongdeok Station intersection and intersections around Yeoksam-dong, Gangnam-gu, out of 65 vehicles turning right at intersections, about 12 vehicles drove through without stopping even while pedestrians were crossing the crosswalk.

At the intersection near Gongdeok Station, 7 out of 55 right-turning vehicles did not stop. One taxi even accelerated while turning right when the pedestrian was running across the crosswalk during the blinking green light signal.

At the crosswalk near Sinnonhyeon Station on Subway Line 9, there were a total of 10 vehicles turning right during the green pedestrian signal over 30 minutes. Five of them turned right even while pedestrians were crossing. Among these five, three turned right just as the signal changed from red to green and pedestrians were about to cross. One white van created a dangerous situation by speeding without checking if there were people on the crosswalk, almost colliding with pedestrians crossing on the green light. The other two vehicles slowly moved forward even though pedestrians had not completely crossed the crosswalk, then accelerated.

From this year, drivers are required to make a complete stop when making right turns at intersections, emphasizing the obligation to protect pedestrians. On the 11th, vehicles were stopped near the five-way intersection by Gongdeok Station in Mapo-gu, Seoul.

According to recent statistics from the Korea Road Traffic Authority for the past three years (2018?2020), there were 212 fatalities and 13,150 injuries in traffic accidents involving right-turning vehicles. The proportion of pedestrian casualties in right-turn traffic accidents among all pedestrian traffic accident casualties is 10.4%.

From the new year, the obligation to protect pedestrians from right-turning vehicles at crosswalks will be emphasized. Police crackdowns on vehicles aggressively cutting through pedestrians will be strengthened, and insurance premiums will be significantly increased. Since the 1st of this month, the Life Insurance Association and the General Insurance Association have applied insurance premium surcharges when drivers fail to comply with pedestrian protection duties such as stopping when pedestrians are crossing the crosswalk. A 5% surcharge applies for 2?3 violations, and a 10% surcharge for 4 or more violations. In child, elderly, and disabled protection zones, speeding or ignoring crosswalk signals will result in a 5% surcharge for a single violation and a 10% surcharge for two or more violations.

Starting in the second half of the year, drivers must "stop first" if there are pedestrians near the crosswalk when turning right at intersections or passing small crosswalks without traffic lights. Under the current Road Traffic Act, even if the crosswalk signal is green, drivers may turn right after checking the surroundings if no one is crossing, but this will change. The National Police Agency announced the amendment to the Road Traffic Act containing these provisions on the 11th. The amendment will take effect on July 12, six months after the announcement. A National Police Agency official said, "Most right-turn accidents at intersections occur because drivers do not see pedestrians starting to cross the crosswalk," adding, "The purpose is to strongly raise awareness of the duty of care."

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