[Breaking] Police Belatedly Correct Fault and Victim Identification in Traffic Accident

Collision Between Right-Turning and Straight-Moving Vehicles at Snow-Covered Intersection in Yeongam
Right-Turning Driver Initially Cited for "Failure to Make a Complete Stop"
Driver Challenges Decision, Citing Opponent’s Center Line Violation and Speeding
Korea Transportation Safety Authority: "Accident Would Not Have Occurred If Lane Had Been Maintained"
Jeonnam Provincial Police Agency Reclassifies Driver as Victim After Four Months

The driver who was initially identified as the at-fault party for "failing to make a complete stop" (Asia Economy, April 22, Was the Victim Named the Offender in a Snowstorm Intersection Accident?) has been reclassified as the victim four months after the accident.

In this accident, which occurred on a road covered by heavy snowfall, the police initially placed responsibility on the right-turning vehicle. However, a reinvestigation by the Korea Transportation Safety Authority found that the straight-moving vehicle, which crossed the center line while entering the intersection, was more at fault, leading to a reversal of the original judgment.

In the black box footage from Mr. A's vehicle, a right-turning car is seen cautiously entering a snow-covered intersection when it collides with a straight-moving vehicle coming over a bridge. Mr. A's side claims that the straight-moving vehicle did not reduce its speed and rushed forward.

According to Asia Economy’s coverage on the 25th, the accident took place at around 10:40 a.m. on January 9 near the intersection of Local Road No. 801 in Sinhung-ri, Sijong-myeon, Yeongam County, South Jeolla Province. While Mr. A’s vehicle was cautiously making a right turn into the snow-covered intersection, a vehicle coming straight from the opposite direction failed to reduce its speed and collided with Mr. A’s car.

Immediately after the accident, the Yeongam Police Department determined Mr. A to be at fault solely on the grounds that the right-turning vehicle did not come to a complete stop, and imposed a fine of 40,000 won for violating the Road Traffic Act.

Mr. A argued that the other vehicle had crossed the center line, which was obscured by snow. Subsequently, a joint on-site investigation was conducted by the Jeonnam Provincial Police Agency, the Yeongam Police Department, and the Gwangju-Jeonnam branch of the Korea Transportation Safety Authority. The findings of the transportation authority supported Mr. A’s claim.

According to the traffic accident analysis report prepared by the authority, the straight-moving vehicle was traveling at approximately 49.4 km/h at the time of the accident, and it was confirmed that the vehicle entered the intersection by veering off the center line. The authority analyzed that "the accident would not have occurred if the vehicle had stayed within its lane."

In a phone interview with Asia Economy, Mr. A said, "The investigator explained that even if I did not come to a complete stop, the accident would not have happened if the other vehicle had stayed within its lane."

The analysis report, which Mr. A obtained through a request for information disclosure, included the statement that the straight-moving vehicle’s driving constituted "not just a center line violation, but in effect, driving against the flow of traffic." The report also noted that the road conditions at the time made it difficult to identify the lanes due to snow coverage.

There was also controversy regarding the police’s statements about whether they had secured the black box footage. When Mr. A inquired about the footage, the police initially said they had secured it, then later changed their answer to say it had not been secured. Subsequently, they explained, "The device exists, but there is no footage."

It has been confirmed that the Jeonnam Provincial Police Agency recently notified Mr. A of the revised decision, officially recognizing him as the victim. This means the police’s initial judgment has been formally overturned.

Mr. A stated, "I kept questioning whether it was right to make a decision based solely on whether a complete stop was made," and added, "I am relieved that the record has finally been corrected, but if the procedures had been properly followed from the beginning, I would not have had to go through such an unfair ordeal."

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