A Bus Plowed into Pedestrians at a Green Light Crosswalk

Yesterday (October 10), an accident occurred at an intersection in Busan when a city bus struck pedestrians crossing the crosswalk. Two men in their 60s lost their lives, while two motorcyclists in their 30s suffered injuries.

The police are investigating the driver's claim of a "brake malfunction" as well as the possibility of a driving error by an elderly driver.

According to a report by SBS's "Morning Wide" on the 11th, the accident happened around 1 PM the previous day at an intersection in Busan. As the pedestrian signal turned green and citizens were crossing, the city bus charged straight toward the group of pedestrians.

As a result of the accident, two men in their 60s who were crossing the street died at the scene, and the bus continued for about 30 meters before hitting a motorcycle. The two individuals on the motorcycle, both in their 30s, were transported to the hospital with injuries.

Witnesses stated, "There was a loud bang, and then a person went under the bus," noting how quickly the incident unfolded.

"Brake didn’t work" vs "Normal operation"

The driver of the bus, Mr. A, 67, has been working as a contract driver for five years after retiring. During police questioning, Mr. A stated, "I entered the intersection on a red light, but the brake didn’t respond," adding that he swerved the wheel to avoid the situation.

However, shortly after the accident, a representative from the bus company reported that the brakes were functioning normally when the vehicle was driven back to the depot. A police spokesperson explained, "Brake failure can be either persistent or temporary," and confirmed that they are investigating all possibilities.

The police are also examining factors such as the potential temporary brake malfunction and the decreased reaction time of the elderly driver.

Image source: SBS's "Morning Wide," reference photo for understanding the article / gettyimagesbank