The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced a significant drop of more than 70 percent in child pedestrian accidents within areas equipped with unmanned surveillance cameras. (Image courtesy of Seoul City)
SEOUL, Dec. 1 (Korea Bizwire) – In a major breakthrough, the Seoul Metropolitan Government announced a significant drop of more than 70 percent in child pedestrian accidents within areas equipped with unmanned surveillance cameras. The study zeroed in on 107 locations in Seoul where these cameras were deployed in 2020, showcasing a major upgrade to children’s safety on city streets.
Teaming up with the Korea Road Traffic Authority’s Seoul branch, the city government scrutinized traffic accident data over a four-year period, spanning two years before (2018-2019) and two years after (2021-2022) the installation of the unmanned cameras.
The results painted a compelling picture of improved safety, with the number of child traffic accidents within these safety zones dwindling from an average of 95.5 incidents annually before installation to 70 incidents afterward – a notable 26.7 percent reduction. Specifically, accidents involving child pedestrians saw an impressive 71 percent decrease, plummeting from 31 incidents to just 9. Overall pedestrian accidents also experienced a substantial decrease, dropping from 133 incidents to 66, marking a 50.4 percent reduction.
In terms of injuries, child pedestrian casualties witnessed a noteworthy 72.7 percent decline (from 33 to nine individuals), while overall pedestrian injuries decreased by 51.8 percent (from 141 to 68 individuals).
This analysis marks the first comprehensive examination of the impact of the installation of speed cameras in children’s safety zones nationwide since the implementation of the ‘Min-Sik Law’ in 2020. From 2020 to 2022, Seoul installed 1,303 speed cameras in school zones.
Yoon Jong-jang, director of Seoul’s traffic management division, emphasized, “The statistical analysis of unmanned speed cameras ins school zones, a pioneering initiative, has proven its effectiveness in reducing traffic accidents. Moving forward, the city remains committed to creating a safe environment for citizens during commuting and pedestrian activities.”
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
