Should drivers crawl through school zones at 4 a.m.? Lawmaker proposes time-based limits

South Korea is considering relaxing school zone speed limits during late-night hours, as lawmakers and legal experts question whether current rules are unnecessarily strict when no children are present.

The proposed bill, introduced by Rep. Kim Seung-soo of the conservative People Power Party, would allow authorities to adjust school zone speed limits based on factors like pedestrian traffic, time of day, and road conditions. Current South Korean law enforces a 30 kilometers per hour limit in designated “child protection zones,” regardless of the time or day. As of March, more than 16,000 such zones exist nationwide.

“Of course we need school zone limits to keep kids safe,” said Rep. Kim. “But imposing the same rules at night, when no children are around, is excessive. This bill would make the system more reasonable and better tailored to actual conditions.”

Many argue that current restrictions don’t reflect real-world risks. According to police data, 89 percent of all school zone traffic accidents in 2024 happened between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m., and nearly every single accident involving a child pedestrian (358 out of 360 cases) occurred during this time window.

The push for change has wide support. In a 2022 national survey of nearly 4,500 adults, 60 percent supported easing school zone limits outside peak hours. That same year, a pilot program by the Korea Road Traffic Authority testing time-based speed enforcement at four elementary schools showed strong backing from parents and teachers, as 75 percent said uniform limits were inefficient.

It's common for other countries take a more flexible approach. In New York State, for example, school zone speed limits typically apply only during school hours, such as 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., and are set between 15 and 25 miles per hour. Japan runs time-based restrictions that often limit vehicle access only during children’s commute times, such as early mornings and mid-afternoons.

This isn’t the first attempt at reform. Lawmakers from both major parties have previously introduced similar proposals, including bills to ease limits on weekends, holidays and during school vacations. Those efforts remain stalled in parliament.

Meanwhile, South Korea’s Constitutional Court is reviewing whether the current law violates basic civil rights. The case was triggered by attorney Chae Da-eun from law firm Hanjoong, who was fined for driving 48 km/h through a school zone at 4:41 a.m. in January. She has argued the law goes too far, infringing on freedom of movement and privacy by applying limits even when no risk to children exists.

A ruling from the court is expected later this year.