44% of Floor-Type Pedestrian Signals in Gyeonggi Not Functioning Properly

It has been found that 44% of floor-type pedestrian signals in Gyeonggi Province are not functioning properly.

The Gyeonggi Province Audit Committee announced on January 14 that, after inspecting 268 floor-type pedestrian signals in the province, 44% were found to be not operating as intended.

Floor-type pedestrian signals (floor signals) are traffic safety facilities introduced to reduce the risk of pedestrian accidents for so-called "smombie" pedestrians-those absorbed in their smartphones and not paying attention to their surroundings-as well as children, the elderly, and other vulnerable road users.

From November 10 to 28 last year, the provincial audit committee, together with citizen auditors, conducted a special audit of 268 floor signals installed in eight cities: Suwon, Yongin, Goyang, Hwaseong, Seongnam, Ansan, Anyang, and Uijeongbu.

Red and green lights are simultaneously lit on the floor-type pedestrian signal. Provided by Gyeonggi Province

The audit revealed the following issues: signal mismatch with actual pedestrian signals at 4 locations; complete or partial signal outage at 108 locations; simultaneous display of red and green lights at 18 locations; and damage, breakage, or contamination at 11 locations.

The audit committee issued warnings to 12 relevant departments across the eight cities and requested prompt repairs and the establishment of efficient management measures to prevent pedestrian accidents.

Additionally, the committee recommended that all 31 cities and counties comply with the installation standard, which allows floor signals only on roads with four or more lanes in both directions, in order to prevent budget waste and improve efficiency. This measure was taken after cases were found where floor signals had been installed on roads with fewer than four lanes.

Ahn Sangseop, Chairperson of the Provincial Audit Committee, stated, "Through this special audit, we hope to strengthen the management of floor-type pedestrian signals and create a safer walking environment for residents," adding, "This year, we will continue to conduct special audits in areas related to residents' daily lives by utilizing data analysis with artificial intelligence (AI)."