Police: "Black Ice Caused 44-Vehicle Pileup on Guri-Pocheon Expressway"

1 Dead, 3 Seriously Injured, 44 Minor Injuries
Accident Investigation Team Currently Determining Cause

[Asia Economy Reporter Ra Young-cheol] The 44-vehicle pileup that occurred on the night of the 15th on the Guri-Pocheon Expressway was found to be caused by 'black ice,' which forms when melted snow or rain on the road freezes.

According to the Northern Gyeonggi Provincial Police Agency on the 16th, as of 5 p.m. that day, one person had died, three seriously injured individuals were reported to be out of life-threatening danger, and 44 people sustained minor injuries. The police have formed a dedicated investigation team to determine the exact cause of the accident.

The initial accident occurred around 9:10 p.m. on the 15th, about 500 meters before the Chukseokryeong Tunnel heading toward Pocheon on the Guri-Pocheon Expressway. An SUV traveling in the first lane slipped into the third lane and abruptly slowed down, causing the vehicles behind it to be unable to reduce speed in time, resulting in a chain collision.

The scene of the chain collision accident on the Guri-Pocheon Expressway that occurred on the night of the 15th [Image source=Yonhap News]

Black box footage secured by the police showed drivers braking, but the slippery road caused vehicles to spin and collide with other cars or the central divider.

Especially since the accident site was on a downhill slope, it was even more difficult for vehicles to stop, and dozens of cars became entangled, turning the road into chaos in an instant.

Following the accident, the fire department issued an emergency response level 1 and deployed 48 vehicles and over 130 personnel to carry out rescue operations. The road where the accident occurred was reopened to traffic only in the early morning hours of the following day.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport explained in a press release distributed that day, "Although de-icing agents were applied on the day of the accident, sleet continued to fall at night, and the road surface temperature was around minus 2 degrees Celsius, making it likely that road icing occurred."

Experts recommend adhering to basic safety rules to prevent black ice accidents, such as reducing speed and maintaining a sufficient distance from the vehicle ahead. They also advise avoiding sudden acceleration and braking and controlling speed carefully on curved roads.

A police official stated, "It is difficult for drivers to visually detect black ice themselves, but related agencies can anticipate its occurrence by closely monitoring weather conditions and road status," adding, "When a heavy snow warning is issued, more attention should be paid to road management and de-icing operations."