The driver of an SUV in their 30s who killed a police officer and a tow truck driver while they were handling a traffic accident scene was found to have been driving with the cruise (automatic driving) function on at the time.
On Jan. 8, the Gochang Police Station in North Jeolla Province said, "Based on the vehicle event data recorder (EDR) analysis and statements, Mr. A was driving using the cruise function," adding, "However, the cause of the crash was drowsy driving, and it is difficult to clearly explain how the cruise function may have affected the accident."
The cruise function, a driving assistance device, is a system that helps maintain a set speed consistently without accelerator pedal input, allowing driving without the driver's operation.
At about 1:23 a.m. on the 4th, Mr. A is suspected of causing a crash on the northbound Seohaean Expressway near the Gochang interchange while drowsy driving, which left two people dead and nine injured, in violation of the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Settlement of Traffic Accidents (death and injury).
Police Superintendent Lee Seung-cheol (55) of the 12th unit of the Highway Patrol of the North Jeolla Provincial Police Agency and a tow truck driver (38), who were handling another traffic accident near the crash site, were struck by Mr. A's vehicle and died.