"Elderly Driver Aged 78 Causes Sudden Vehicle Acceleration... Hits Bus Stop, 16-Year-Old Female Student Dies"

Accident in Boseong, Jeonnam... 1 Dead, 2 Injured
Driver Claims "Pressed Brake but Sudden Acceleration Occurred"

A car driven by a 78-year-old man crashed into a bus stop on a road in Boseong, Jeollanam-do, resulting in one death and two injuries. The driver is currently claiming sudden unintended acceleration.

This photo is for reference to help understand the article and is not directly related to the main content. [Image source=Pixabay]

According to the Boseong Police Station on the 1st, a high school girl waiting for the bus, A (16), was seriously injured in the accident. A was transported to the hospital by 119 emergency responders but ultimately passed away.

The driver, Mr. B (78), and a passenger were also injured and are receiving treatment at the hospital, but fortunately, their lives are not in danger.

Mr. B claimed during the police investigation, "I pressed the brake, but the vehicle rushed toward the bus stop."

Investigations confirmed that Mr. B was not under the influence of alcohol while driving. The police have booked Mr. B and plan to request an analysis of the exact cause of the accident from the National Forensic Service.

Elderly Driver Traffic Accident Rate Up 8.8%... 7 out of 10 Say They Will Not Surrender Their Driver’s License

According to the '2020-2022 Overall Traffic Accident and Elderly Driver Traffic Accident Status' released by the Korea Road Traffic Authority, last year, the total number of traffic accidents was 196,836, a 3.1% decrease from the previous year, while traffic accidents involving elderly drivers increased by 8.8% to 34,652 cases.

The number of traffic accidents over the past three years has been on a decline: ▲2020 (209,654 cases) ▲2021 (203,130 cases) ▲2022 (196,836 cases). However, traffic accidents involving elderly drivers have increased: ▲2020 (31,072 cases) ▲2021 (31,841 cases) ▲2022 (33,652 cases).

However, 7 out of 10 elderly drivers aged 65 and older are skeptical about surrendering their driver’s licenses. Reasons for not considering license surrender include ▲convenience such as time-saving and mobility (45.8%) ▲belief in safe driving ability (35.0%) ▲preparation for emergencies (24.1%) ▲inconvenience of using public transportation (22.4%).

The Korea Road Traffic Authority predicts that as the elderly population increases annually, the number of traffic accidents involving elderly drivers will continue to rise. A representative from the Korea Road Traffic Authority said, "It is important for elderly drivers to develop safe driving habits themselves to prevent traffic accidents," and added, "We encourage strict adherence to safe driving rules and active participation in elderly driver consultations conducted at driver’s license examination centers."