SEOUL, July 3 (AJU PRESS) — The driver of a fatal car accident that occurred in central Seoul on Monday has been arrested and placed under investigation, and police are reportedly seeking an arrest warrant for him.

Police said the 68-year-old man had pressed the accelerator pedal in his Genesis luxury limousine at the time of the crash, which left nine people dead and seven injured.

The tragic incident occurred at an intersection near Seoul City Hall at around 9:27 p.m. (12:27 GMT). The sedan was driving the wrong way on a four-lane, one-way street, accelerating when it collided with two oncoming vehicles and then ploughed into pedestrians waiting at a crosswalk.

According to initial reports from some media, the driver blamed the car failure on a “sudden unintended acceleration (SUA)”, i.e. unexpected and uncontrolled acceleration that often renders the brakes ineffective.

But police found evidence that contradicts that claim. Data from the car’s event data recorder (EDR), which records vehicle speed and braking patterns, shows the driver pressed the accelerator just before the crash. “It appears the driver pressed the accelerator pedal with more than 90 percent force just before the crash,” a police officer said Wednesday.

Police have passed the vehicle’s EDR to the National Forensic Service (NFS) for further examination. Dashcam footage from other vehicles showed the sedan’s brake lights only came on as it began to slow down, coming to a complete stop after hitting around 20 people. Typically, an SUA involves the engine running at full throttle, preventing the vehicle from stopping before hitting a wall or stationary obstacle.

It is unlikely that the NFS will conclude that the accident was caused by SUA. According to data published by the National Assembly, a total of 766 suspected SUA car accidents were reported between 2010 and 2022, but none of these cases were found by a court to be related to SUA.

While the exact cause of the accident remains unclear, the latest incident has sparked debates about whether older people should continue to drive. A recent increase in road accidents involving older drivers has led to calls for stronger safety measures.

reporter

Park Sae-jin
[email protected]