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A tragic accident occurred in Gwangju Metropolitan City where an elementary school student was fatally struck by a garbage collection vehicle.
According to the police on the 30th, a first-grade elementary school student, A (7), residing in Buk-gu, Gwangju, was hit and killed by a vehicle collecting trash. A was passing through an apartment complex on her way home after school around 1:20 PM when the incident happened.
According to the released closed-circuit television (CCTV), as A was walking on the sidewalk near the recycling collection area, a vehicle from a recycling collection company entered the complex. The vehicle passed by A and then mounted the sidewalk where the recycling station was located. Without turning on the hazard lights, it immediately reversed, hitting A who was walking behind it. This occurred less than a minute after the vehicle entered the complex.
The driver, B (49), affiliated with the collection company, was investigated and found to have reversed the vehicle without noticing A coming out from the recycling area. He stated that he was alone in the vehicle and did not have the capacity to check the surroundings or manage safety. It was also reported that the vehicle lacked devices to alert others of reversing. According to the Waste Management Act, cleaning and collection vehicle operators are supposed to work in teams of 2 to 3 to prevent safety accidents, but specific safety management obligations are not stipulated.
A’s bereaved family expressed, "This was an accident that could have been prevented if the operator had gotten out of the vehicle beforehand to check the surroundings." The police have currently booked B on charges of involuntary manslaughter under the Special Act on Traffic Accident Handling and are investigating the detailed circumstances and responsibility of the accident.
Meanwhile, local residents of the neighborhood where the accident occurred placed chrysanthemums at the scene to pay their respects. They also urged for measures to prevent recurrence, stating, "This was an accident that could have been sufficiently anticipated."
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