심야에는 제한속도 상향…스쿨존 ‘시간제 속도제한’ 확대

The police agency is expanding the "time-dependent speed limit" in school zones during nighttime hours. Previously, a uniform 30km/h speed limit applied to all school zones 24/7, but the new measure adjusts the limit based on road conditions in certain nighttime areas. The police have prepared an "improved operating standard for school zone time-dependent speed limit implementation" since September 2023, and will begin a pilot program in selected areas starting next April.

As of April 2024, 1,058,156 school zones nationwide had the time-dependent speed limit applied, but only 84 of them employed the measure. In the past decade, child pedestrian fatalities in school zones have dropped dramatically, with no incidents reported during nighttime hours in recent years. A nationwide survey of 500 citizens found that 76.4% supported the implementation of this program.

The time-dependent speed limit will be enforced in roughly one-third of all school zones, approximately 6,000 locations, based on conditions such as pedestrian traffic and recent accident statistics. The police plan to roll out the measure at around 160 sites by the end of this year, prioritizing areas that meet the criteria. However, some concerns have been raised about the potential negative impact on driver convenience, with the police assuring that the goal is to "rationalize excessive regulations during non-child pedestrian hours" and "implement the plan in stages considering local traffic conditions."