[Asia Economy Reporter Seongpil Cho] On the first day of enforcement of the 'temporary stop for right turn at intersections' regulation, more than 75 drivers nationwide were reported to have violated the new rule and were fined.
According to the National Police Agency on the 12th, after completing a three-month guidance period on the revised Road Traffic Act, which strengthens pedestrian protection obligations, and starting full enforcement from the morning of that day, a total of 75 violations were recorded by 3 p.m. Since there were many more cases detected afterward, the number of drivers fined for non-compliance with the revised Road Traffic Act is expected to increase further.
The revised Road Traffic Act, which came into effect on July 12, requires drivers to temporarily stop not only when pedestrians are 'crossing' the crosswalk but also when they are 'about to cross.' If a driver proceeds without stopping despite the presence of pedestrians crossing or intending to cross the crosswalk, a fine of 60,000 KRW (for passenger cars) and 10 penalty points will be imposed.
The police initially planned a one-month guidance and publicity period but extended it until the day before enforcement due to repeated criticisms that the temporary stop criteria were ambiguous in practice. According to the police, during the three-month guidance period, there were 3,386 right-turn traffic accidents and 22 fatalities, representing a 24.4% decrease in accidents and a 45% decrease in fatalities compared to the previous year.
In response to concerns that it is difficult to clearly recognize when pedestrians intend to cross the crosswalk during the guidance period, the police decided to enforce the regulation only when the pedestrian's behavior and intention to cross are clearly observable from outside and can be universally agreed upon. Additionally, the police plan to continuously promote and educate the public on proper crossing methods by preparing public service advertisements and other promotional tools to increase public understanding of the revised law.
In fact, among the drivers caught on that day, many expressed dissatisfaction with the enforcement, saying they were unaware of the revised Road Traffic Act or did not realize that pedestrians were crossing or intending to cross the crosswalk. A National Police Agency official urged, "Drivers should check for pedestrians around the crosswalk, not just the pedestrian signal, when making a right turn," and recommended making it a habit to stop whenever pedestrians are present.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
