"If Only Checked Once, No Tragic Death" Bus Crushing Fatality Victims' Families Appeal in 청 National Petition

Bereaved Family: "If Only There Had Been One Confirmation, This Unjust and Futile Death Would Not Have Happened"

CCTV footage released by JTBC on the 20th. A woman in her 20s, Ms. A, had her arm caught in the rear door while getting off the bus, but the bus departed as it was, resulting in a tragic accident for Ms. A. [Image source = Screenshot from 'JTBC News' broadcast]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Suwan] The family of a woman in her 20s who died on the spot after her arm got caught in the rear door of a city bus running in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, has called for stronger punishments to prevent such accidents from happening again.

The petitioner, who identified themselves as a family member of the bus accident victim, posted a petition titled "My sister who was dragged to death, please stop this now" on the Blue House National Petition Board on the 23rd. This petition is expected to be made public after review by the administrator, having received preliminary consent from more than 100 people.

The petitioner lamented, "The person who became a star that day was my sister," adding, "I believe that if there had been just one check, or a 3-second wait after getting off, such an unfair and tragic death could have been avoided."

The petitioner explained the situation at the time, saying, "My sister was dragged for 10 meters, then fell and was crushed by the rear wheel, dying instantly. At first, she knocked on the door and, startled by the speeding bus, tried to run alongside it, but she ultimately fell in an instant."

They continued, "Everyone focused on the long padded coat and talked about its dangers, but it was the sleeve. Our family is still uncertain whether it was her hand, wrist, or the sleeve caught, so we are waiting for a proper confirmation," appealing, "If we do not make changes, such accidents can happen again anytime, even if people do not wear long padded coats."

They also pointed out, "In most cases, accidents occurring during boarding or alighting result only in fines or internal education within the bus company," and emphasized, "I believe laws need to be revised to clearly establish criminal liability for drivers in such accidents."

On the 23rd, a petition titled "My younger sibling who was dragged away and died, please stop now" was posted on the Blue House National Petition Board. Photo by Blue House National Petition Website Capture

Along with this, the petitioner urged for △strengthening regular safety training for bus drivers △improving boarding and alighting sensors △securing safe time for passengers to get on and off △ensuring safe working conditions for drivers (such as working hours and dispatch intervals) △and strengthening punishments for bus accidents.

In conclusion, they stressed, "Although this accident involved my sister, it could have happened anytime, anywhere, and in any way," and added, "Now, we want public transportation where safety is guaranteed so that such incidents never happen again."

At around 8:30 p.m. on the 19th, a woman in her 20s, Ms. A, who was on a city bus running a route in Beopwon-eup, Paju, Gyeonggi Province, had her arm caught in the rear door during the alighting process. However, the bus driver departed without stopping, and Ms. A was dragged and struck by the rear wheel, dying on the spot.

Initial reports suggested that the accident occurred because the long padded coat Ms. A was wearing got caught in the rear door, but according to the family and police investigation, it was confirmed that the bus departed while Ms. A’s arm, not the coat, was caught in the rear door.

The bus involved in the accident was an older model without sensors on the doors. Currently, the family is raising concerns about possible issues with the bus sensors that detect when a part of the body is caught in the door.

The police have booked the bus driver on charges of professional negligence causing death and are investigating the exact circumstances of the accident.

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