Car Driving Against Traffic in Downtown Seoul Crashes into Pedestrians
9 Dead, 4 Injured
Driver in 60s Claims "Sudden Acceleration"
Controversy surrounding 'elderly drivers' has reignited as the suspect in his 60s, responsible for a traffic accident near City Hall Station in Jung-gu, Seoul that caused 13 casualties, claims the cause of the accident was 'sudden unintended acceleration.'
68-Year-Old Driver Crashes Vehicle at Seoul City Hall Station... 9 Dead
On the night of the 1st, a passenger car drove in the wrong direction and then rushed onto the sidewalk at an intersection near Exit 7 of City Hall Station in Jung-gu, Seoul, hitting pedestrians and causing a major traffic accident that resulted in 9 deaths and 4 injuries. Of the 9 deceased, 6 died at the scene, and 3 were transported to the hospital in cardiac arrest but were later pronounced dead. Among the 4 injured, 1 is seriously injured and 3 have minor injuries. All the injured were taken to nearby hospitals.
The police apprehended the driver of the Genesis vehicle, Mr. A (68), at the scene. A woman in her 60s, who is his spouse and was riding in the vehicle with him, was also transported to the hospital. Mr. A claims sudden unintended acceleration and is not suspected of drunk driving. Whether he was under the influence of drugs or drowsy driving has not yet been confirmed.
However, eyewitnesses to the accident argue that the vehicle stopped immediately after the crash, suggesting it was not sudden unintended acceleration. In fact, CCTV footage of the accident shows the Genesis vehicle driven by Mr. A decelerating and stopping right after the accident. This differs from typical sudden unintended acceleration cases where the vehicle forcibly slows down due to friction after colliding with guardrails or other structures on the road.
The exact cause of the accident has not yet been determined. However, since Mr. A was not intoxicated, the cause is presumed to be either sudden unintended acceleration as he claims, or driver error such as inexperience or negligence.
Traffic Accidents Involving Drivers Aged 65 and Over Increase... Consideration of 'Conditional License System'
On the morning of the 2nd, memorial messages were posted at the accident site near Exit 7 of City Hall Station in Jung-gu, Seoul, where a major traffic accident occurred last night. [Image source=Yonhap News]
Meanwhile, concerns are growing as accidents caused by negligence or inexperience of elderly drivers have been occurring frequently. According to the Road Traffic Authority, traffic accidents caused by drivers aged 65 and over reached a record high of 39,614 cases last year, marking an increase for three consecutive years. The proportion of these accidents among all traffic accidents also rose to 20.0%, up from 17.6% the previous year.
Earlier in March, an elderly man in his 80s caused a seven-car pileup near the Guryong Tunnel intersection on Yangjae-daero in Gangnam-gu, Seoul due to careless driving. In April, a driver in his 90s hit four elderly people while reversing in the parking lot of the Pangyo Senior Welfare Center in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, resulting in one death.
Given these circumstances, the need to strengthen safety measures related to elderly drivers has been consistently raised. The government currently requires drivers aged 75 and over to renew their licenses every three years, and mandates cognitive ability tests and traffic safety education for license renewal. Drivers aged 65 and over are recommended to undergo traffic safety education.
Additionally, the government is considering introducing a 'conditional license system' that would impose restrictions such as banning nighttime driving, highway driving, or speed limits on high-risk elderly drivers with diminished driving abilities. However, it has been pointed out that sufficient public opinion gathering through hearings and other means is necessary before implementing such a system.
Meanwhile, netizens are also debating the issue of elderly drivers. Comments include, "At 68 years old in the era of 100-year lifespans, this is not elderly. First, we need to verify if it was really sudden unintended acceleration," "This accident does not seem to be strongly related to elderly driver issues," and "Traffic safety education for drivers aged 65 and over should be enforced more strictly."
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