You Could Be in Big Trouble If You Don't Stop: Crackdown on Mandatory Right-Turn Stops Intensified

The police will launch a two-month intensive crackdown on violations of the mandatory temporary stop when making right turns. This measure is being implemented to strengthen enforcement and ensure pedestrian safety, as confusion has persisted at the scene even after the system was introduced.

The National Police Agency announced that from April 20 to June 19, it will carry out an intensive crackdown on violations of right-turn traffic regulations for two months. The crackdown will focus on sections with a high risk of right-turn accidents, such as intersections.

This measure aims to help establish the on-site implementation of the right-turn temporary stop system, which was incorporated into the current Road Traffic Act in 2023. Drivers must come to a complete stop at the stop line, crosswalk, or before entering the intersection when the forward signal is red and they intend to turn right. In addition, after making a right turn, if there is a crosswalk and a pedestrian is crossing or about to cross, the driver must stop again.

Violators will be fined 60,000 won for passenger vehicles. The fine varies by vehicle type: 70,000 won for vans, 40,000 won for motorcycles, and so forth. In the case of signal or instruction violations, 15 demerit points will be imposed, while failure to protect pedestrians will result in 10 demerit points, each applied separately.

Police are conducting educational guidance and enforcement activities for temporary stops on right turns at an intersection in Gangseo-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News.

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However, it has been reported that some drivers are still either unaware of the regulations or failing to comply with them, leading to friction between drivers-such as honking at vehicles that have stopped.

As a result, the risk of right-turn traffic accidents remains high. Last year, there were 14,650 right-turn accidents, resulting in 75 fatalities and 18,897 injuries. Notably, 42 of the fatalities, or 56 percent, were pedestrians-a significantly higher proportion compared to the overall rate of pedestrian fatalities in all traffic accidents, which stands at 36.3 percent.

Pedestrian casualties were especially concentrated among vulnerable groups. Of the fatalities, 54.8 percent were aged 65 or older, and large vehicles such as vans and trucks accounted for 66.7 percent of cases where they were at fault. The size of these vehicles often creates blind spots, leading to delayed recognition of pedestrians and resulting in accidents.

An official from the National Police Agency stated, "Through this intensive crackdown period, we hope that drivers will clearly recognize their obligation to make a temporary stop when turning right, and that a pedestrian-centered traffic culture will take root."

Meanwhile, in addition to enforcement, the police are also working to reduce right-turn accidents through education and facility improvements. The content is being incorporated into driver’s license exams, educational programs for transport companies are being expanded, and improvements such as relocating crosswalks away from the curved sections of intersections are in progress.

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