Korean pedestrians’ death rate is three times higher than the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) nations’ average. In Korea, “Green man time” refers to the pedestrian signals of crossing time at the crosswalk. It is specified based on the assumption that the public can walk at a speed of one meter per second, with the initial entry time ranging from four to seven seconds. However, according to a study conducted by the Korea National Police Agency in 2021, the elderly (aged 65 and older) walk at a slower pace than the green light intervals currently established in existing crosswalks. For pedestrians with mobility difficulties, every second is a desperate race against time.

     A study from the Korea National Police Agency reported that the actual crossing speed of the elderly is estimated as 0.85 meters per second for the protected silver zone. In terms of senior citizens who use assistive devices such as walking sticks or wheelchairs, their walking speed significantly slows down to 0.7 meters per second. Consequently, the call for longer crossing times for “vulnerable crosswalk users” is rising to ensure pedestrian safety.

     Demands for improving pedestrian speed criteria by offering extra time at green intervals has been escalated as society rapidly aged. A study carried out by Statistics Korea indicated that people aged 65 and older accounted for 16.5 percent of South Korea’s total population as of 2021 and assumed that this number could surge to 43.9 percent by 2050. In accordance with the inevitable transition to a rapidly aging demographic, 59 percent of pedestrian fatalities in 2021 were of elderly pedestrians over 65 years old, according to traffic accident data from the Korea Road Traffic Authority (KoROAD). The problem with the short green interval at crosswalks becomes more apparent when it comes to the disabled’s use of the crosswalk. Considering the current green interval given by the government, it is particularly arduous for the disabled to cross the street. This not only makes the elderly vulnerable to fatalities and severe injuries but also diminishes the mobility and comfort of pedestrians with physical impairments.

     Perhaps, being a pedestrian would be more dangerous than being a driver in a society imperfect of pedestrian safety. But in this fast-paced, efficiency-oriented world, different civil rights are likely to remain at odds with mobility justice. “Mobility Right” is a fundamental and intrinsic human right granted to all of which no one shall be deprived of. To cut down fatal traffic accidents, Canada and the United States of America have introduced the Leading Pedestrian Interval (LPI), a system that gives pedestrians a walk sign three to seven seconds before showing a green light to vehicles. Similarly, Korea has started a trial run of adopting an artificial intelligence-based system that allows pedestrians to extend the green signals by tapping on a sensor. To ensure citizens’ lives and their road safety, such administrative efforts to roll out additional measures to other intersections should be enforced immediately.