Chain Collision of 40 Vehicles Due to 'Black Ice' on National Route 33 in Hapcheon, Gyeongnam

The scene of a 41-vehicle pileup on the national highway in Hapcheon. The damaged vehicles show the situation at the time. / Photo by Gyeongnam Provincial Police Agency

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Son Tae-seok] On the 6th, accidents caused by 'black ice' occurred one after another at more than 40 locations across Gyeongsangnam-do, including the national roads in Hapcheon. This was due to rain that fell from dawn freezing into a thin layer of ice because of the sudden drop in temperature.

According to the Gyeongnam Provincial Police Agency, around 40 vehicles, including passenger cars and trucks, collided consecutively on National Road No. 33 in Daeyang-myeon, Hapcheon-gun, that morning.

The accident site was a steep downhill road where 41 vehicles, including passenger cars and trucks, collided, resulting in about 10 people sustaining minor injuries and being transported to hospitals in Hapcheon, Goryeong in Gyeongbuk, and Daegu.

Immediately after the accident, the Hapcheon Fire Department took additional accident prevention measures such as spreading calcium chloride on the road. Traffic resumed nearly four hours after the accident, causing severe congestion.

At around 7 a.m. the same day, seven vehicles slipped on the road near the Sambong Intersection of Hapma-daero in Sanin-myeon, Haman-gun, near Ip-gok County Park. At 8 a.m., a five-vehicle pileup occurred on a national road in Burim-myeon, Uiryeong-gun, due to wet road conditions.

By 6 p.m. that day, the police had recorded more than 40 traffic accidents related to rain and icy road conditions.

A Gyeongnam Police Agency official said, “During winter dawns, rain often makes the road surface slippery,” and added, “Most accidents on wet roads worsen due to failure to maintain a safe distance, so when driving in rainy conditions, it is important to reduce speed and pay close attention to safety.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.