Field monitoring data for embankments in thirteen road construction sites at coastal area of the Korean Peninsula were analyzed to investigate the characteristics of lateral flow in soft grounds, to which vertical drain methods were applied. First of all, the effect of the embankment scale on the lateral flow was investigated. Thicker soft soils and lager relative embankment scale produced more horizontal displacements in soft grounds. Especially, if thick soft grounds were placed, the relative embankment scale, which was given by the ratio of thickness of soft ground to the bottom width of embankments, became larger and in turn large horizontal displacement was produced. And also higher filling velocity of embankments induced more horizontal displacements in soft grounds. The other major factors affecting the lateral flow in soft ground were the thickness and undrained shear strength of soft grounds, the soil modulus and the stability number. Maximum horizontal displacement was induced by less undrained shear strength and soil modulus of soft grounds. Also more stability numbers produced more maximum horizontal displacements. When the shear deformation does not develop, the stability number was less than 3.0 and the safety factor of bearing was more than 1.7. However, if the stability number was more than 5.14 and the safety factor of bearing was less than 1.0, the unstable shear failure developed in soft ground. 50mm can be recommended as a criterion of the allowable maximum horizontal displacement to prevent the shear deformation in soft ground, while 100mm can be recommended as a criterion of the allowable maximum horizontal displacement to prevent the shear failure in soft ground.