The Korea Times close
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
Entertainment
& Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
Sports
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
Video
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • Site Map
  • E-paper
  • Subscribe
  • Register
  • LogIn
search close
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • Site Map
  • E-paper
  • Subscribe
  • Register
  • LogIn
search close
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
Tue, July 5, 2022 | 05:51
'Yellow carpet' to help protect children
Posted : 2016-04-05 15:57
Updated : 2016-04-07 11:16
Print Preview
Font Size Up
Font Size Down
 Children stand on a 'yellow carpet' waiting for a crossing sign at a crosswalk. Experts believe this will help children avoid car accidents at or near crosswalks in school zones. / Courtesy of the International Child Rights Center
Children stand on a "yellow carpet" waiting for a crossing sign at a crosswalk. Experts believe this will help children avoid car accidents at or near crosswalks in school zones. / Courtesy of the International Child Rights Center

By Lee Han-soo, Park Si-soo


Can a "yellow carpet" help to save children?

The International Child Rights Center (InCRC), a civic group, has continued the work of painting walls and pavements leading to crosswalks in school zones in yellow since April last year, believing these yellow areas will help children avoid car accidents.

People in yellow-painted areas are more visible to drivers. They were also proven to create a "nudge effect," motivating children to stay inside the yellow zone while waiting for a crossing sign and consequently reducing the chances of a risky crossing outside the crosswalks. At night, a solar-powered lamp above turns on automatically when people approach, making the areas equally safe day and night. As of the end of March, 28 yellow carpets have been rolled out, with two more planned this month.

"This project began as part of efforts to make a safer town for children," Lee Je-bok, an InCRC team leader, told The Korea Times. "We discussed many possibilities with parents and children and issues such as traffic safety, school violence and hazardous material. However, after thorough discussion and research, we decided traffic safety was a priority."

Sixty-five children were killed in car accidents last year, up 25 percent from a year earlier. Nearly 80 percent of the deadly accidents were reported in or near crosswalks in school zones, according to police data. Children's lack of attention to approaching vehicles can be considered one reason. Another is speedy or careless driving in school zones.

Lee was confident that the "yellow carpet" will help reduce the number significantly.

"The yellow area creates a nudge effect that makes the place feel like a safe haven for children to stay in and a visual aid for drives to be more careful," said Lee. "The solar lamp turns on automatically when people approach the yellow carpet zone, making it safe even at night."

Seoul City recently benchmarked the campaign. The municipal government plans to install more than 100 extra areas this year and up to 300 by 2018. Each costs about 5 million won ($4,300).

The campaign won best design prize in the Design for Asia awards in Hong Kong last year. The campaign has since drawn attention from Australia and many other countries trying to come up with measures to boost children's safety in school zones.

There are yet no statistics proving the campaign's effectiveness in reducing child accidents in school zones. But many studies, including one by 3M Korea's traffic safety industry division and the Korea National University of Transportation, suggest people in yellow areas are up to 51 percent more visible to drivers than in other areas.

Emailcorea022@ktimes.com Article ListMore articles by this reporter
Emailpss@ktimes.com Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
LG
  • Typhoon Aere forecast to bring extended heatwave
  • [ANALYSIS] Korean exporters start rethinking 'China strategy'
  • Banks favor 'MZ generation' celebrities for marketing in digital era
  • 'Korea, Japan should restore visa waiver program'
  • Pakistan unveils Buddhist heritage in documentary
  • KT drama 'Extraordinary Attorney Woo' popular on Netflix
  • [INTERVIEW] 'Repatriation puts fear in eyes of all North Koreans,' rights expert says
  • Georgian wine ready to captivate Korean market
  • 'Global firms look to Korea for inspiration and trends': Kantar CCO
  • Photo of Yoon staring at blank computer screen raises eyebrows
  • Moon Geun-young to make directorial film debut at BIFAN Moon Geun-young to make directorial film debut at BIFAN
  • Lee Jung-hyun returns to big screen after becoming a mom Lee Jung-hyun returns to big screen after becoming a mom
  • BLACKPINK's 'Ddu-du Ddu-du' sets YouTube views record for K-pop group BLACKPINK's 'Ddu-du Ddu-du' sets YouTube views record for K-pop group
  • [INTERVIEW] How Frank Wildhorn became most popular musical composer in Korea [INTERVIEW] How Frank Wildhorn became most popular musical composer in Korea
  • Maroon 5 to hold concert in Seoul on Nov. 30 Maroon 5 to hold concert in Seoul on Nov. 30
DARKROOM
  • Afghanistan earthquake killed more than 1,000

    Afghanistan earthquake killed more than 1,000

  • Divided America reacts to overturn of Roe vs. Wade

    Divided America reacts to overturn of Roe vs. Wade

  • Namaste: Yogis to celebrate International Yoga Day

    Namaste: Yogis to celebrate International Yoga Day

  • Poor hit harder by economic crisis

    Poor hit harder by economic crisis

  • Roland Garros 2022

    Roland Garros 2022

The Korea Times
CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Location
  • Media Kit
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Service
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • Mobile Service
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Policy
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • 고충처리인
  • Youth Protection Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group