Bus Driver Involved in Tragedy in Segok-dong School Zone Was Driving at 40 km/h

Driver under investigation for negligent homicide under the Special Act on Traffic Accident Handling... National Forensic Service requested for detailed analysis

On the first day of the revised Road Traffic Act, which includes no-parking zones in child protection areas and mandates special traffic safety education for drivers who cause traffic accidents in these zones, students are attending school at an elementary school in Seoul on the 21st. Photo by Moon Honam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Jang Sehee] A 12-year-old elementary school student was fatally struck by a bus just 8 meters away from a school zone (Children Protection Zone). This accident occurred only two weeks after an elementary student died in a drunk driving traffic accident in the Cheongdam-dong school zone in Gangnam-gu.

On the 19th, the Suseo Police Station in Seoul is investigating bus driver A, in his 40s, on charges of negligent homicide under the Special Act on Traffic Accident Handling. The police are investigating the exact circumstances of the incident, including whether speeding was involved. A police official stated, "On that day, we sent the bus’s black box and nearby CCTV footage to the National Forensic Service to check for speeding."

‘Submission of Bus Vehicle Mechanical Analysis... Driving at 40 km/h at the Time of the Accident’

According to the 'bus vehicle mechanical analysis' submitted by the driver to the police the day before, the bus was traveling at 40 km/h at the time of the accident, confirming that it was not speeding. Police investigations also confirmed that A was neither driving under the influence nor violating traffic signals at the time of the accident. It is known that A stated during the police investigation that he applied the brakes suddenly after spotting the student but had no time to react.

At around 9:08 a.m. on the 17th, a 12-year-old elementary student crossing a crosswalk on a road in Segok-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, was hit by a bus and died. The location was only 8 meters away from the school zone, which has a regulated speed limit of 50 km/h. On the day of the accident, the road was reported to be slippery due to heavy snow accumulation.

The police believe that the traffic facilities at the accident site were not problematic. They explained that there was a 50 km/h speed limit sign just before the accident site and that a speed enforcement camera was installed.

Gangnam-gu Office’s Snow Removal Limited to 22 Locations... "Focused on Areas with Heavy Traffic and Slopes"

There are also criticisms regarding insufficient snow removal by local governments. Although heavy snow fell in Seoul on the day of the accident, the Gangnam-gu Office only conducted snow removal at 22 locations. It is known that snow removal was carried out near Eonju-ro, Seolleung-ro, and Gaepo-ro. A Gangnam-gu Office official said, "From 7:30 a.m. on the day of the accident, nine snow removal vehicles worked mainly on areas with heavy traffic and slopes. A snow removal vehicle also departed for the accident site at 8:48 a.m., but further verification is needed to confirm whether snow removal was completed before the accident."

Meanwhile, on the 2nd, a drunk driver in his 30s hit and killed a 9-year-old elementary student near the back gate of Eonbuk Elementary School in Cheongdam-dong, Gangnam-gu, within a school zone. The driver in his 30s was sent to the prosecution on the 9th on charges including death in a children protection zone and hit-and-run under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes.

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