No More Slow Crawling on Empty Roads... School Zone Speed Limits to Be Flexibly Managed

Time-Based Speed Limits in School Zones to Be Fully Implemented Starting in September

Going forward, speed limits in school zones (child protection zones) will be adjusted according to the time of day. The aim is to achieve both enhanced child traffic safety and smooth traffic flow.

The National Police Agency announced on August 29 that, starting September 1, it will officially implement a “time-based speed limit system for child protection zones,” which will flexibly adjust school zone speed limits according to the time of day. Additionally, the agency will improve traffic signal systems, including flashing signals during nighttime hours and signal coordination between intersections. Currently, school zones are subject to a constant speed limit of 30 km/h, enforced at all times. However, there have been ongoing concerns that such strict regulations hinder traffic flow.

In response, since July last year, the National Police Agency has been conducting a pilot program for time-based speed limits during late-night hours in eight school zones. The agency has also developed new measures through research and consultation with experts. First, for school zones located on main roads, the speed limit will be relaxed from 30 km/h to 40-50 km/h between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m. the next day, when there are fewer children and accidents. Conversely, in school zones where the current speed limit is 40-50 km/h, the limit will be tightened to 30 km/h during school commuting hours.

Furthermore, to alleviate public inconvenience caused by uniform signal operations, the National Police Agency will collaborate with the Korea Road Traffic Authority and local governments to enhance signal efficiency in areas with low accident risk. During late-night hours (midnight to 5 a.m.), when both vehicle and pedestrian traffic are minimal and accident risk is low, the use of flashing vehicle signals will be expanded. If there are concerns about traffic accidents, flashing signals will be switched to normal signals. In areas where traffic flow is not smooth, signals between intersections will be coordinated, and in locations with high pedestrian traffic (excluding protection zones), pedestrian signal times will be extended.

Additionally, to prevent child traffic accidents, the police will expand new traffic safety facilities such as yellow crosswalks and start/end point markings, as well as widen sidewalks around school routes. They will also inspect compliance at facilities operating school buses and intensify on-site guidance and enforcement against operating without an accompanying guardian.

Moreover, during school commuting hours, police officers, Green Mothers, and exemplary drivers will be intensively deployed in school zones. In high-risk areas such as academy districts, school routes without separated sidewalks and roadways, and crosswalks without traffic signals, there will be focused crackdowns on traffic law violations and drunk driving.

A National Police Agency official stated, “There has been strong public demand for improvements to the uniformly enforced school zone speed regulations,” adding, “We will improve the system within the bounds of maintaining traffic safety and will strictly crack down on behaviors that threaten safety, such as drunk driving.”

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