Man in His 70s Drives 17km in Wrong Direction on Jangseong Expressway in Someone Else's Car Late at Night

Driver Suffers Minor Injuries and Is Hospitalized
Police Investigate Accident Involving Dementia Patient

In the early morning hours, a man in his 70s suffering from dementia narrowly avoided a major disaster after driving someone else’s car in the wrong direction for approximately 17 kilometers on the Honam Expressway, only to swerve at the last moment and avoid a head-on collision with an oncoming 18-ton cargo truck.

According to the Highway Patrol Division of the Jeonnam Provincial Police Agency on March 4, at around 2:57 a.m. that day, a car driven by a man in his 70s, referred to as Mr. A, was found to be traveling in the wrong direction near the Jangseong Interchange (at the 94-kilometer mark) on the Honam Expressway toward Suncheon in Jangseong County, South Jeolla Province, when it encountered an oncoming 18-ton truck.

Both vehicles, facing imminent danger of a head-on collision, quickly swerved in an attempt to avoid it. In the process, Mr. A’s car crashed forcefully into the median barrier and came to a stop, while the truck struck a roadside traffic sign installed on the shoulder.

Mr. A suffered minor injuries, such as mild pain, in the accident and was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment by emergency medical responders. Fortunately, the truck driver was reportedly not seriously hurt.

According to the police investigation, Mr. A had mistakenly entered the expressway in the wrong direction at the Yongbong Interchange in Gwangju and drove in reverse for as much as 17 kilometers. At the time of the accident, Mr. A was not under the influence of alcohol, and it was also revealed that the car he was driving belonged to someone else, not himself.

The police have determined that Mr. A had shown symptoms of dementia and plan to closely investigate the exact cause of the accident, including the circumstances under which he came to drive someone else’s vehicle and entered the expressway in the wrong direction, once he recovers after receiving medical treatment.

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