A tragic accident in Goyang has resulted in the death of a woman in her 60s after she was hit by an electric scooter ridden by two high school girls.
The accident occurred on June 8 in Ilsan Lake Park, where the woman and her husband were taking a walk.
The scooter, ridden by a teenage girl referred to as “A,” collided with the couple on a bike path inside the park. The woman sustained severe head injuries and, despite receiving medical treatment, passed away nine days after the accident. Her husband, identified as “B,” suffered injuries as well but survived the crash.
At the time of the accident, two high school girls — “A” and her friend “D” — were both riding the scooter. Authorities have since transferred “A” to the prosecution, charging her with causing death due to professional negligence and driving without a license under Korean traffic laws.
A significant legal issue in this case was whether the bike path inside the park should be classified as a road under South Korean law. The police ultimately decided it met the legal definition of a road, as it was a designated cycling path and open to the public without any access restrictions. Based on this interpretation, they determined that the charge of unlicensed driving was applicable.
Although “D” wasn’t operating the scooter when the accident took place, it was revealed that she had driven it without a license earlier, taking turns with “A.” While “D” was not handed over to the prosecution, she received a fine for her role in driving without a license.
Korean netizens continue to be outraged by the lack of clearer regulations around electric scooters as safety concerns around them increase.
Source: MT
