A 35-meter wide crosswalk, the widest in the country’s child protection zones, appeared in Nam-gu, Busan, earlier this month in time for the start of school in March. It is also called a “smart crosswalk” because it is equipped with various high-tech equipment. Residents expect the crosswalk to ease their concerns about safety accidents.

At 8:30 a.m. on March 22, in front of the main gate of Yeonpo Elementary School in Daeyeon-dong, Nam-gu, Busan, students on their way to school raised their hands and crossed the crosswalk when the traffic light changed. Five members of the School Zone Traffic Support Volunteer Group, composed of residents, three teachers from the elementary school, and a security guard at a large apartment complex across from the school were coming out to guide the students to school safely.

The area was designated as a child protection zone where there was always a risk of accidents. The road connects Munhyeon-dong and Daeyeon-dong and there are many vehicles entering and leaving the Nam-gu district office right next to the school. It is also a downhill road where the speed of cars increases. Most of the 1,250 students go to and from school through the main gate, and many students enter the driveway due to the narrow sidewalk.

In response, the district office decided to create a safe way to school. An official from the district office said, "Two 16-meter wide and 19-meter wide crosswalks were connected to make the crosswalk wide enough. We removed old asphalt and repaved the road and installed various high-tech equipment."

An LED signboard with a warning of “Beware of pedestrians” was installed above the crossing so that drivers could see it clearly, and signs and traffic surveillance cameras were installed to remind drivers to drive at less than 30 kilometers per hour.

For pedestrians, a floor-type pedestrian signal light was installed, and a recognition platform for the visually impaired was installed. A voice guide equipped with a stop line detection function warns pedestrians who invade or are likely to invade the roadway, "Do not enter the roadway because it is dangerous." At the crossing, LED guidance lights were installed at the edge like an airplane runway. The guidance lights are automatically controlled according to the time of sunrise and sunset. The unique strong light emphasizes the crossing, allowing the driver to recognize from a distance and slow down or drive carefully.

In particular, the Smombie awakening device is receiving favorable reviews from parents, teachers, and students. Smombie, which is a combination of the words “smartphone” and “zombie” referring to a person who walks with his or her head down on the street while looking at the screen of a smartphone.

Nam-gu and Yeonpo Elementary School had the students install the School Zone App on their phones. When a student who installed the app approaches the crosswalk (within 1 meter), a notification pops up for 10 to 30 seconds on their smartphone and automatically blocks the screen. Then students who are immersed in their smartphone can naturally raise their head.

"It's interesting to see the notification pop up," students said, "and when I look up, the principal is out there." Kwon Young-min, principal of Yeonpo Elementary School, said, "Students who go to school looking at their smartphones also look left and right to see if cars come when a notification appears on the screen near the crosswalk," adding, "Safety education and safety guidance are naturally being conducted."

An official from the Namgu district office said, "We are planning to make the crosswalk to other child protection zones as the safe route to school created with a budget of 300 million won is deemed to be effective.”