The National Police Agency unveiled a new initiative on Thursday to halve the speed limit on narrow roads in residential areas from the current 60 kilometer per hour to 30 kph with the aim of enhancing pedestrian safety.
Following a period of public hearings, the agency aims to have the Road Traffic Act and other relevant regulations revised and the changes put into practice by September 2026.
The proposed amendment will retain the current 60 kph limit on roads with a centerline or multiple lanes while reducing the limit on roads without a centerline to 30 kph. Drivers on roads with specific speed limit signs will continue to observe those limits.
Studies indicate that the likelihood of fatal injuries to pedestrians increases significantly when vehicle speeds exceed 30 kph, the NPA said. Consequently, an NPA expert panel recommended reducing speed limits for roads commonly used by pedestrians to 30 kph or lower.
The agency has been promoting "Zone 30" initiatives, which restrict speeds to 30 kph in designated zones, mainly residential areas, and is now moving toward a more comprehensive revision of speed regulations. But the difficulty of putting up speed limit signs on all residential roads have meant that some of these continue to have a 60kph limit.
In addition to the speed limit changes, the agency is also adjusting regulations for pedestrian crossings.
The maximum allowable distance between the white lines at crossings will increase from the current 45 to 50 centimeters to 90 centimeters to widen the gaps between them. This change is designed to help drivers avoid ruts and improve the durability — and visibility — of road markings. The updated system is expected to be in place by the end of July this year.