According to Yonhap News Agency, at around 21:28 local time on July 1, a traffic accident occurred near City Hall Station in central Seoul. So far, six people have died in the accident, three have suffered cardiac arrest, and seven more have been injured.
According to the Seoul Namdaemun Police Station, at the time of the accident, a vehicle suddenly rushed to the sidewalk from the intersection of City Hall Station, causing casualties.
According to eyewitnesses, the Genesis car, which was departing from the Westin Chosun Hotel near City Hall Station, reversed on a four-lane one-way road, rushed onto the sidewalk, broke through the fence and knocked down pedestrians. Continue for about 100 meters and stop just across the street in front of Exit 12 of the City Hall Station. The driving distance in reverse reaches 200m.
According to the report video captured in the black box of a nearby vehicle, the Lawrence vehicle that caused the accident was traveling at a high speed and only stopped when it reached the sidewalk.
Mr. A, who was caught by the police at the scene, claimed that the cause was "the sudden acceleration of the vehicle". Abrupt acceleration is a type of vehicle defect that occurs when a vehicle accelerates abruptly and unintentionally.
It was determined that Mr. A was not suspected of driving while intoxicated. Therefore, it is speculated that the cause of the accident was the negligence of the driver, as alleged by Mr. A, such as sudden acceleration, inexperience or carelessness.
Controversy over "Senior Driving": The issue of renewing driver's licenses for seniors needs to be discussed
It is reported that the age of the driver of the vehicle involved in the accident is known to be 68 years old, and the issue of driving by the elderly has regained attention! According to the Korea Road Traffic Administration, there were a total of 39,614 traffic accidents involving drivers aged 65 or older last year. This represents an increase of 4,962 cases (14.3%) compared to the previous year, the highest value. The proportion of all traffic accidents also increased to 20.0% from a year ago (17.6%).
Older drivers have lower physical cognition and spatial perception than younger drivers, which makes it difficult for them to react to unexpected situations. In particular, it is difficult to control vehicle speed at intersections, driving at night, complex road environments, and bad weather. According to the National Bureau of Statistics of South Korea, 11% of driver's license holders are over the age of 65, and one-third of the cars currently on South Korean roads are driven by people over the age of 60.
Condolences: They are just ordinary office workers, who leave work normally......
On the morning of the 2nd, at the scene of the accident, citizens on the way to work offered chrysanthemums to mourn the victims, and posted notes to pray for the souls of the deceased. Sanitation workers began cleaning up the accident site early in the morning. The security fence was destroyed beyond recognition, and the glass doors and windows of shops along the sidewalk were shattered......
Of the nine deceased, six died on the spot and three suffered cardiac arrest and were taken to hospital before being pronounced dead.
They just get off work and go home normally......
We are saddened by the recent accidents in South Korea and the sad stories of gray and sad one after another, and may the deceased rest in peace. At the same time, these accidents also reflect the current social hidden dangers in South Korea and sound the alarm bell for the South Korean government to protect society! I hope that the Korean government will start to pay attention to the current situation of society!
I hope that every one of our compatriots in Korea can be safe and healthy!