After the speed limits were imposed in 2018, car accidents dropped to 723 cases, down by 13 percent. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Korea Bizwire) — The Safety Speed 5030 policy, imposing speed limits of 50 km/h and 30 km/h on arterial highways and community roads, respectively, has resulted in more than 50 percent decrease in the number of deaths.
The Road Traffic Authority, the National Police Agency, and SK Telecom, operator of the navigation application T map, compared the difference before and after the speed limits were imposed at 68 locations throughout the country.
Car accidents amounted to an average of 834 cases every year in these locations between 2014 and 2016. After the speed limits were imposed in 2018, the numbers dropped to 723 cases, down by 13 percent.
The number of deaths dropped from 11 to four, down by 64 percent, and the mortality rate went from 1.32 percent to 0.55 percent, down by 77 percent.
A new bill has been proposed to amend the Road Traffic Act this April, with additional provisions to impose a speed limit of 50 km/h on arterial highways and 30 km/h on community roads.
The bill is scheduled to take effect in April 2021.
H. M. Kang (hmkang@koreabizwire.com)
