Two Years Since Pedestrian Priority Roads Implemented... Accident Prevention Remains 'Questionable'

Speeding Rampant Due to Lack of Enforcement Cameras
Ambiguity in Enforcement Rules Including Slow Driving Standards

It has been two years since the pedestrian priority road system was implemented, but pedestrian safety is still being neglected. In fact, due to insufficient enforcement and ambiguous regulations, it has been pointed out that these roads have rather become zones that threaten safety.

On the afternoon of the 1st, two motorcycles were racing through pedestrians at the intersection near Sungshin Women's University in Donam-dong, Seongbuk-gu.
[Photo by Lee Ji-eun]

According to the National Police Agency on the 3rd, a total of 115 pedestrian priority roads have been designated and announced by Seoul City. Pedestrian priority roads refer to roads where pedestrian traffic takes precedence over vehicles to ensure pedestrian safety and convenience. Previously, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety designated roads without separated sidewalks and carriageways as pedestrian priority roads when enforcing the revised Road Traffic Act in 2022.

On pedestrian priority roads, pedestrians can use all parts of the road without avoiding vehicles. The heads of city and provincial police agencies and police stations can limit the maximum speed on these roads to within 20 km/h if necessary. At the same time, drivers are obligated under Article 27 of the Road Traffic Act to protect pedestrians by driving slowly and stopping temporarily. Vehicles that threaten safety by exceeding the speed limit, overtaking pedestrians, or honking will be fined 40,000 KRW and receive 10 penalty points. Motorcycles and bicycles are fined 30,000 KRW and 20,000 KRW respectively.

On the afternoon of the 1st, a motorcycle was riding without maintaining a safe distance from pedestrians at the intersection near Sungshin Women's University in Donam-dong, Seongbuk-gu.
[Photo by Lee Ji-eun]

However, enforcement is virtually nonexistent. Many areas lack unmanned enforcement cameras, and the police cannot focus solely on enforcement due to manpower limitations. Seoul City, which designates and announces the roads, only inspects road width and lane separation through each autonomous district. In fact, on the pedestrian priority road at Seongsin Women's University intersection on this day, motorcycles were seen driving dangerously close to pedestrians, honking their horns at a distance of just 1 meter.

Ambiguous enforcement regulations are also a problem. Although it is specified that drivers must drive slowly and maintain a safe distance to protect pedestrians, there are no concrete standards on what speed qualifies as slow driving or how many meters of safe distance must be maintained. A police official said, "It is difficult to say that violations on pedestrian priority roads are enforced at a level similar to drunk driving," and added, "It is also challenging to catch the exact moment when vehicles are not driving slowly."

Ultimately, voices are calling for enhanced publicity and stricter enforcement to realize the original purpose of the system. Professor Choi Jae-won of the Korea Road Traffic Authority advised, "A considerable budget is spent when creating pedestrian priority roads," and said, "It is necessary not only to designate the roads but also to review whether proper publicity is being conducted and whether enforcement is sufficient to prioritize pedestrian safety."

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