As fun as it is to ride bicycles and electric kickboards...it's even more important to follow traffic laws while riding them.
Park Se-young has more.
The number of bike and electric kickboard riders in Korea is on the rise.
As of 2016, more than 13 million people ride a bike at least once a month.
But since 2008, there have been over ten-thousand traffic accidents involving bikes each year, …with more accidents happening in the mild weather of spring and fall.
According to traffic laws, bicycles are treated as cars on roadways and face the same responsibilities.
Cyclists must keep to the right or use bike lanes and must ride in the same direction as cars, …following the same traffic rules.
Bicycles are allowed on sidewalks if the cyclist is a child under 13 years of age, a senior aged 65 and older …or physically disabled, …when safety signs say they're allowed …and when roads are damaged or under construction.
And when crossing the road, the cyclist must get off and walk across with the bicycle …in order to be considered a pedestrian.
As for electric kickboards, …they're classified as motorcycles and treated as two-wheeled vehicles with a motor under 50 cubic centimeters.
This means they must also be ridden only on roads, …but since their top speed is limited to 25 kilometers per hour, …they will be allowed on bike lanes from the latter half of the year.
For the safe riding of both bicycles and electric kickboards, …helmets are required at all times.
Headlights must be turned on when riding at night to prevent accidents, …and riders must not use mobile phones or earphones.
Most importantly, getting on a bike or kickboard after drinking is considered drunk driving.
Since 2018, riding a bicycle under the influence is subject to a fine of up to 170 dollars or detention by the police.
Park Se-young, Arirang News.
