Objectives: Vehicular emissions are one of the main sources of air pollution in urban areas. Correlation analysis was conducted between air pollutants and traffic volume in order to identify causes of air pollution in Gwangju. Methods: Using traffic volumes and air quality monitoring data from 2002 to 2012 from nine stations (seven urban areas, two roadside areas), especially at three sites where traffic volumes were high, the correlation coefficients were obtained between air pollutants as PM-10 (particulate matter), $NO_2$, $SO_2$, CO and $O_3$ at the stations and traffic volumes near the air monitoring stations. Results: Due to traffic volume and distance between the station and the traffic road, concentrations of pollutants at roadside areas were higher than at urban areas, with the exception of $O_3$. The concentration of $O_3$ showed statistically significance with those of other gas materials as $NO_2$, $SO_2$, and CO in winter (p<0.001) and spring (p<0.05). During the period of October 7 to 20, 2012, excluding periods of yellow dust, smog and rainy season, the ratio of $NO/(NO+NO_2)$ showed the highest value 0.57 and 0.40 at Unam and Chipyeong of two roadside stations, followed by 0.35 at Nongseong with vehicular effects. The correlation coefficient between traffic volume and $O_3$, CO, $NO_2$ became higher when the data on mist and haze days were excluded, than when all hourly data were used in that period, at the three sites of Unam, Chipyeong, and Nongseong. Conclusions: Air quality showed a considerable effect from vehicles at roadside areas compared to in urban areas. Air pollutant diminishment strategies need to be aggressively adopted in order to protect atmospheric environment.