Passenger "Saw that the accelerator was not pressed"
An electric taxi accident suspected of sudden unintended acceleration occurred in Daegu, seriously injuring the driver and passenger. A video capturing the situation at the time of the accident was released, showing the driver attempting to turn off the ignition several times, but the car did not stop. The passenger in the back seat said, "I saw that the driver's foot was not pressing the accelerator."
According to an MBC report on the 26th, at around 12:40 a.m. on the 15th, an electric taxi carrying a passenger was hit by an SUV making an illegal U-turn on a road in Suseong-gu, Daegu.
The taxi, which was traveling at a speed of 50 km/h at the time, seemed to lose speed briefly but then suddenly accelerated after about 3 seconds. The speed at the time of the collision was 54 km/h, but it exceeded 100 km/h within just 8 seconds and soared to 188 km/h after 36 seconds.
The black box footage of the incident shows the driver panicking as the car suddenly accelerates, saying, "This is serious, this, this, this," while passenger A in the back seat also appears alarmed, shouting, "Grab the brake. Can't you?"
When the driver replied, "No, no, no, no. I grabbed the brake," A adjusted the seatbelt and shouted, "Isn't there a side brake? Side brake. Try turning off the ignition, turn off the ignition!" However, no matter how much the driver pressed the brake or tried to turn off the ignition, the car did not stop. The side brake was also ineffective.
The taxi dangerously passed through four intersections, traveling an additional 2.5 km before hitting another car waiting at a signal, then slid another 250 m while overturned before coming to a stop. The taxi driver, passenger, the driver of the collided vehicle, and five pedestrians were seriously injured and are receiving treatment at a hospital.
Passenger A posted on an online community on the 26th, saying, "I participated in the broadcast interview because I wanted a thorough investigation to be conducted."
He recounted the situation, saying, "I saw that the driver's foot was not positioned on the accelerator. Nevertheless, the car was running at a terrifying speed," and added, "I was convinced it was sudden unintended acceleration, which I had only heard about before, so I fastened my seatbelt tightly, lowered my head, and curled up."
A said, "It must be determined whether the taxi driver ignored the signal while carrying a passenger in the middle of the city, accelerating to 188 km/h on a rainy night, or if this happened due to a vehicle defect."
He emphasized, "Even in that situation, the taxi driver remained calm, acted as instructed by the passenger, and drove while avoiding cars for a long time," and added, "I also checked the position of the driver's legs when I awkwardly stood up."
The taxi driver claims, "The car suddenly accelerated after the first collision."
The police have secured nearby closed-circuit television (CCTV) and black box footage and have requested the National Forensic Service to investigate the accident circumstances, including whether the brake pedal was operated.
Hyundai Motor Group, the manufacturer of the accident vehicle, stated, "The police are currently investigating, and if requested by the police or the National Forensic Service, we will cooperate to the fullest extent to accurately determine the cause."
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