A taxi in Ulsan's Ulju County crashed into a wall, resulting in the deaths of the driver and four passengers, with one person injured. The cause of the accident was investigated to be the driver's poor pedal handling.
According to police on the 24th, the Ulju Police Station commissioned the National Institute of Scientific Investigation to analyze the taxi's Event Data Recorder (EDR), which confirmed that the driver pressed the accelerator instead of the brake pedal just before the accident. No mechanical defects were found with either the brake or accelerator pedals.
Previously, an analysis of the Digital Tachograph (DTG) records by the Road Traffic Authority also indicated poor pedal handling. Furthermore, reviewing the taxi's black box footage showed that the rear brake lights did not illuminate just before the wall collision.
An autopsy on the deceased 70-year-old taxi driver, referred to as A, revealed no traces of alcohol or drugs. It was determined that there were no pre-existing conditions that could have influenced the accident. The police plan to conclude the case without prosecution due to the driver's death.
On the 6th of last month, a taxi traveling down a downhill road in Seoseng-myeon, Ulju County, crashed into a wall, resulting in four fatalities among the five passengers, including driver A, while the remaining one sustained serious injuries. It was confirmed that all passengers, including the driver, were not wearing seatbelts.