Don’t be confused: Different speed limits at different hours in child protection zone beginning September

On May 14, the police crack down on daytime driving under the influence in front of Goeun Elementary School in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul. Seong Dong-hun

Speed limits in child protection zones will change depending on the time of day starting September 1.

The National Police Agency announced on August 29, “From September 1, different speed limits will be applied in child protection zones depending on the time of day.”

The speed limit in child protection zones on principal roads will be raised to 40-50km/h from the current 30k/h during late night, when there is little traffic and few accidents involving children. In child protection zones where the speed limit is currently 40-50km/h, it will be lowered to 30km/h during morning and afternoon hours when children go to and return from school for their safety.

The latest measure was taken in accordance with an announcement by the presidential transition committee last April, shortly after President Yoon Suk-yeol was elected. The committee said, “We will ease the (safe speed) 5030 policy and raise the speed limit nationwide.” Safe speed 5030 was a policy that enforced speed limits of up to 50km/h in principal roads in the city center and 30km/h for smaller roads in residential areas and child protection zones. Currently, 31 out of the 37 member states of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) implement such a policy.

The police agency explained, “After the Road Traffic Act was amended in March 2020 to enforce the installment of mandatory unmanned traffic enforcement cameras in child protection zones, the police have been constantly cracking down on any speed violations of over 30km/h in most child protection zones,” and said, “In the past, there was much public request to improve the policy, which enforced a uniform speed limit in child protection zones.”

The police announced that they would improve the traffic light operation as well, such as flashing yellow lights during late night and synchronized intersection traffic lights. Synchronizing traffic lights at intersections means operating the lights so that vehicles may cross one intersection and immediately cross the next intersection without having to wait for the signal.

The police plan to install new traffic safety facilities, such as the yellow crosswalk and marking of starting and end points, and expand the sidewalks on the children’s route to and from school to prevent traffic accidents involving children. A police representative said, “We will inspect facilities operating school buses to check their compliance with guidelines and crack down on any negligence to secure a guardian on the bus as well as provide instructions.”