FORMAX
Just a few lines can make a huge difference.
September 27, 2024
Even though most vehicles are equipped with navigation system these days, we still need to pay attention when encountering forked roads in unfamiliar places in order not to miss the right route. There also could be a risk of traffic accident when the road it is complicated and confusing or when the visibility is poor due to bad weather. Then, about a decade ago, a very simple method to improve the circumstance was attempted in South Korea and the result was remarkable! It not only improved driver convenience but also drastically lowered the accident rate.
In 2011, brightly-coloured lines in pink and green suddenly appeared on Korean expressways. The so-called Colour Guidance Lanes (hereinafter referred to as colour lanes) were painted on road surfaces so that drivers can easily identify driving directions and routes at intersections, interchanges and junctions, etc.(see attached pictures) My first thought when I saw it was that it was a bit unfamiliar with that vivid colors, especially a lively shade of pink, but I soon realized how brilliant the idea was to guide drivers to follow the road with less confusion, particularly when driving at night or for a long distance. Colour lanes and road signs installed 100m ahead of split-roads on expressways definitely draw drivers’ attention and make them somewhat feel a sense of stability.
The vibrant colour lanes painted on gray roads brought a surprising result. According to the relevant government organization, traffic accidents have decreased by an average of 40 percent in comparison to the previous no-colour-lane period. They were first applied at Ansan Junction where approximately 25 serious traffic accidents occur annually due to the road split in three directions right after passing the tollgate. However, it is said that there were only three accidents during six months since installing the colour lanes !
Currently, more than 900 colour lanes are installed on Korean expressways, and it has been expanded to city streets with accident risks as well as national & local roads. As seen in the attached pictures above, pink lane is for a road forked in two directions, green for the additional direction and blue in Hi-Pass (automatic tolling system) sections at tollgates. The colour lanes, also linked to traffic navigation systems, play a major role in reducing traffic accidents and increasing driver convenience throughout the country.
In 2011, brightly-coloured lines in pink and green suddenly appeared on Korean expressways. The so-called Colour Guidance Lanes (hereinafter referred to as colour lanes) were painted on road surfaces so that drivers can easily identify driving directions and routes at intersections, interchanges and junctions, etc.(see attached pictures) My first thought when I saw it was that it was a bit unfamiliar with that vivid colors, especially a lively shade of pink, but I soon realized how brilliant the idea was to guide drivers to follow the road with less confusion, particularly when driving at night or for a long distance. Colour lanes and road signs installed 100m ahead of split-roads on expressways definitely draw drivers’ attention and make them somewhat feel a sense of stability.
The vibrant colour lanes painted on gray roads brought a surprising result. According to the relevant government organization, traffic accidents have decreased by an average of 40 percent in comparison to the previous no-colour-lane period. They were first applied at Ansan Junction where approximately 25 serious traffic accidents occur annually due to the road split in three directions right after passing the tollgate. However, it is said that there were only three accidents during six months since installing the colour lanes !
Currently, more than 900 colour lanes are installed on Korean expressways, and it has been expanded to city streets with accident risks as well as national & local roads. As seen in the attached pictures above, pink lane is for a road forked in two directions, green for the additional direction and blue in Hi-Pass (automatic tolling system) sections at tollgates. The colour lanes, also linked to traffic navigation systems, play a major role in reducing traffic accidents and increasing driver convenience throughout the country.
