Human Disasters Caused by Safety Negligence Raise Concerns Over Casualties
Experts Call for Strengthened Supervision and Harsher Penalties
On the 30th, heavy equipment loaded on a truck traveling on the highway fell off, causing a collision with a following vehicle driver who died. This occurred just two days after an accident in Gunsan, Jeonbuk, where stone materials loaded on a truck fell at an intersection, injuring two drivers. As accidents involving falling cargo leading to casualties continue, there are calls to strengthen management supervision and increase the severity of penalties for prevention.
The Chungbuk Provincial Police Agency Highway Patrol announced that trailer driver A was booked on charges of violating the obligation to prevent cargo from falling under the Traffic Accident Processing Act. A is accused of dropping a large roller weighing about 10 tons used for floor compaction near the Eumseong rest area on the Chungbuk side of the Jungbu Expressway towards Daejeon at around 5:17 a.m. that day, causing death or injury to four following drivers.
The Gunsan Police Station in Jeonbuk also booked truck driver B on the same charges and is investigating him without detention. B is accused of dropping two large stone materials on a vehicle-only road near the Dangbuk intersection in Okgup-eup at 8:56 a.m. on the 28th, injuring two drivers. The police believe they did not properly secure the cargo and are investigating whether there was overloading.
Falling cargo accidents involving trucks often occur on running roads and can lead to large-scale casualties. The police are also focusing on this issue and conduct regular intensive crackdowns every year with the Korea Transportation Safety Authority. This year, from the 17th, a two-month intensive crackdown on traffic violations targeting trucks is underway. The crackdown targets include ▲overloading and improper loading ▲illegal modifications and attachments ▲poor maintenance, among others.
Although the police are conducting crackdowns using various methods such as undercover patrol cars, drones, and camcorders during the crackdown period to reduce consecutive accidents, there are criticisms that limitations exist. For fundamental prevention, truck drivers themselves need to be vigilant and properly follow safety rules such as firmly securing cargo with anti-slip covers or ropes.
There are also voices calling for increasing the severity of penalties to raise awareness among vehicle owners and drivers. Under current law, violation of the obligation to prevent cargo from falling is punishable by imprisonment of up to five years or a fine of up to 20 million won. However, this applies only when casualties occur, and simple violations result in only a 50,000 won fine.
Professor Hong Seong-ryeong of the Korea Transportation Safety Authority said, "Falling cargo accidents are very dangerous as they can cause secondary accidents not only to following vehicles but also others," adding, "To raise awareness, safety regulations need to be continuously strengthened, and crackdowns and penalties should be intensified."
There are also suggestions to expand the scope of management and supervision, including crackdowns on truck traffic violations. Seong-ryeol Lee, senior researcher at Samsung Transportation Safety Culture Training Center, said, "To prevent accidents, it is necessary to extend the period of traffic violation crackdowns targeting trucks conducted by the police and the Transportation Safety Authority," adding, "The entities conducting crackdowns should not be limited to the police and the authority but should be expanded to include road management entities to strengthen management and supervision as one possible measure."
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