Ignoring Red Light, Man in His 30s Fined for Hitting Pedestrian with Electric Scooter, Resulting in 12 Weeks of Medical Treatment

On the afternoon of the 10th of last month, citizens were moving onto the pedestrian walkway while riding electric kickboards. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Eun-young] A man in his 30s who hit and injured a pedestrian while riding an electric kickboard ignoring a red light signal was fined. As accidents related to electric kickboards have surged, the government has decided to impose restrictions on riding by enforcing the revised Road Traffic Act starting this April.

According to the legal community on the 13th, the Daejeon District Court Criminal Division 1 (Presiding Judge Oh Se-yong) sentenced Mr. A (35), who was indicted for violating the Special Act on the Treatment of Traffic Accidents (injury), to a fine of 8 million won.

Mr. A was riding an electric kickboard on a road in Sejong City around 5:40 p.m. on March 3 last year when he hit a pedestrian crossing the crosswalk.

As a result of the impact of this accident, the victim was found to have sustained injuries requiring 12 weeks of medical treatment to the leg area.

The police, based on closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage and witness statements, concluded that Mr. A caused the accident while riding the electric kickboard ignoring the vehicle stop signal (red light), and sent him to prosecution without detention on charges of injury under the Special Act on the Treatment of Traffic Accidents.

Presiding Judge Oh Se-yong stated, "The defendant's negligence in hitting the victim who was crossing the crosswalk following the green light is significant," and added, "The victim suffered serious physical and mental pain from severe injuries and aftereffects."

However, he also noted, "Considering the defendant's remorse, the installment payment of a substantial amount of the victim's medical expenses, and the fact that the defendant transferred the electric kickboard to another person after the incident," explaining the reasons for sentencing.

Meanwhile, as electric kickboard accidents have surged recently, citizens' anxiety about them is also growing. In fact, in one community, electric kickboard riders who suddenly appear and threaten other drivers were nicknamed "Kik-rani" (Kickboard + Goral, a type of Korean antelope) as a warning.

Last year, accidents caused by electric kickboards more than doubled compared to the previous year. According to the Korea Consumer Agency and others, from January to November last year, a total of 571 electric kickboard safety accidents were reported to the Consumer Injury Surveillance System, a 135% increase compared to the same period the previous year.

The main cause was driver inexperience (64.2%), accounting for a total of 804 cases.

In response to the surge in electric kickboard-related accidents, the government will enforce the revised Road Traffic Act starting this April. Youth under 16 years old and those without a driver's license will be prohibited from riding electric kickboards, and if two people ride on one kickboard or fail to wear a helmet, a fine of up to 200,000 won will be imposed.