"School Zone Accidents Triple in the Last 5 Years" ... Gyeongbuk Provincial Council Member Son Hee-gwon Urges Countermeasures

Gyeongbuk Provincial Council Member Son Hee-kwon.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Koo Dae-sun] Son Hee-kwon, a member of the Gyeongbuk Provincial Council (People Power Party, Pohang), urged the Gyeongbuk Office of Education on the 8th during the administrative audit to prepare countermeasures, stating, "Traffic accidents in school zones in Gyeongbuk have more than tripled in the past five years, threatening student safety."

According to data submitted by the Gyeongbuk Provincial Police Agency and others to Councilor Son Hee-kwon, from 2017 to 2021, a total of 118 traffic accidents occurred within children's protection zones (school zones) in the Gyeongbuk area, with 123 injuries confirmed.

By year, the number of traffic accidents and injuries steadily increased from 14 cases in 2017 to 41 cases in 2021, more than doubling respectively. In 2021, the increase rate was very high compared to the previous year, with traffic accidents rising by 78.3% and injuries by 64%.

Although the Gyeongbuk Office of Education implemented a "Traffic Safety Environment Improvement Project in Children's Protection Zones" from 2020 to 2022 targeting vulnerable areas within school zones, the number of traffic accidents and injuries rather increased.

In particular, after full in-person schooling was implemented in November 2021, the second half of the year, traffic accidents and injuries further increased.

Councilor Son of the Gyeongbuk Provincial Council stated, "It is necessary not only to thoroughly analyze the problems causing traffic accidents and focus on improving the causes but also to expand and sustain traffic safety education for Gyeongbuk residents and students to prevent school zone traffic accidents."

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