Elementary Schooler Killed in School Zone, Reigniting Debate Over Yellow Flashing Lights

[Anchor]

An elementary school student was struck and killed by a turning SUV while crossing a pedestrian crosswalk in a school zone in Miryang, South Gyeongsang Province. At the time of the accident, the intersection was operating with only yellow flashing lights instead of pedestrian traffic signals.

Reporter Choi Hyuk-gyu from KNN.

[Reporter]

Children lay flowers in front of a crosswalk.

Overcome with grief at the loss of a friend, they find it hard to walk away.

A second-grade male elementary school student was struck and killed here by an SUV driven by a driver in their 70s.

The victim was hit by the SUV as it made a right turn at a three-way intersection while attempting to cross the crosswalk.

At the scene, pedestrian traffic lights were not in operation, and only vehicular yellow flashing lights were active.

[Witness (Yesterday): The speed limit here is 30 km/h, so vehicles don't drive that fast. In the dozen or so years I've run my business here, this is the first time I have ever seen an accident like this.]

While yellow flashing signals normally allow vehicles to pass while cautiously checking their surroundings, drivers must come to a complete stop if there are pedestrians crossing or attempting to cross the crosswalk.

However, many drivers are unaware of these regulations.

[Kim Jung-lim / Professor, Korea Road Traffic Authority: When a yellow flashing signal is on, the obligation to come to a complete stop when making a right turn remains exactly the same. However, there are many cases where drivers are unaware of this....]

Due to these risks, the Seoul Metropolitan Government plans to change all pedestrian crosswalk signals in school zones to red, which mandates a full stop, within this year.

With approximately 2,800 locations still operating on flashing signals in Busan and South Gyeongsang Province, critics point out that signal operations must be improved starting with school zones.

(Video by Park Young-jun / KNN)

Choi Hyuk-gyu, KNN

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