In Suwon, a 70-Year-Old Driver Going the Wrong Way Hits 5 Vehicles... Claims Sudden Acceleration

Five-Car Pileup in Hwaseo-dong, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do
Four Injured, No Life-Threatening Conditions
Driver in 70s Claims Sudden Acceleration

A car driven by a driver in their 70s in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, crossed the center line, causing a collision involving five vehicles.

Exterior view of Suwon Jungbu Police Station. [Photo by Suwon Jungbu Police Station]

On the 9th, the Suwon Jungbu Police Station reported that at around 8:23 a.m., a car driven by Mr. A (in his 70s) crossed the center line on a road in Hwaseo-dong, Paldal-gu, Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, resulting in a wrong-way driving accident.

At the time of the accident, Mr. A was driving in the first lane on a three-lane road heading toward Hwaseo Intersection when he suddenly crossed the center line and crashed into the front driver's side of a Morning vehicle waiting at a signal in the opposite first lane. Even after the initial collision, Mr. A continued driving and hit four more vehicles before finally stopping.

As a result of the accident, four people were injured, including Mr. A, a woman in her 50s who was in the Morning vehicle, and her teenage son. They were transported to a nearby hospital for treatment, and all are reported to be in stable condition without life-threatening injuries.

During the police investigation, Mr. A has maintained the claim that "the vehicle experienced sudden unintended acceleration." Test results showed that Mr. A was not under the influence of alcohol at the time of the accident. The police stated that they plan to investigate the detailed circumstances of the accident once Mr. A's treatment is completed.

Meanwhile, cases of drivers claiming "sudden unintended acceleration" after causing accidents have been increasing. On the 1st, a man in his 70s who drove about 250 meters in the wrong direction on a one-way, four-lane road toward Sejong-daero sparked controversy by claiming sudden unintended acceleration. That accident resulted in a total of nine fatalities. On the 6th, an man in his 80s driving near Seoul Station drove onto the sidewalk, injuring two pedestrians. That man is also reported to be claiming sudden unintended acceleration.