Seoul: Police are advocating for a relaxation of school zone speed limits during late-night hours when the risk of accidents involving children is lower. They have proposed this change to address concerns over the current 30 kph restriction, which remains in place even when young students are not present.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the Korean National Police Agency has requested the Korea Road Traffic Authority to initiate a research project focused on revising speed limits in school zones. This initiative stems from growing inquiries from drivers about the necessity of strict speed regulations during hours when children are absent.
The proposal is gaining traction, particularly as a government task force has highlighted the need to reconsider school-zone speed limits. Current discussions are centered on the possibility of increasing speed limits during late-night hours or holidays when children are less likely to be in the vicinity.
Police data indicates that approximately half of all pedestrian accidents involving children in Seoul's school zones over the past three years have occurred between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. This information supports the argument for differentiated speed limits based on the time of day.
Since September 2023, the police have been piloting relaxed speed regulations in 78 out of approximately 16,000 school zones nationwide. In these areas, the speed limit has been increased to between 40 and 50 kph between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m., reflecting a move towards more context-sensitive traffic regulations.