Around 3 p.m. on September 24, 2026, ahead of the Chuseok holiday period, a sedan was speeding at 157 km/h on National Road 44 in Jumunji-ri, Hwachon-myeon, Hongcheon-gun, Gangwon.
Officers on patrol pursued and apprehended the vehicle at the scene.
The driver claimed the situation was urgent because his daughter was ill, but police determined this was reckless driving rather than simple speeding.
Three-Line Summary
1. Violated traffic laws 22 times over 10 minutes on the national road.
2. Reached a maximum of 157 km/h; exceeded 140 km/h 31 times.
3. Even with urgent circumstances, repeated violations constitute reckless driving.
22 Violations in 10 Minutes; 31 Times Exceeding 140 km/h
According to Gangwon Police Agency, the driver was a 52-year-old man, Mr. A, who was driving a Grandeur sedan. The section where the incident occurred was a national road with a speed limit of 80 km/h, but Mr. A reached a maximum speed of 157 km/h. Police confirmed 22 traffic violations over approximately 10 minutes, of which 31 instances involved driving at 140 km/h or more.
The problem was not simply speeding. Mr. A failed to maintain safe distance from the vehicle ahead and tailgated closely. He repeatedly made what is known as "knife-cutting" maneuvers, changing lanes abruptly without signaling. In the process, he wove between lanes and cut in front of other vehicles. At intersections, he went straight through right-turn lanes to avoid slowing down for other traffic. This type of driving through lanes contrary to their designated use makes it difficult for drivers following or driving alongside to anticipate such moves, thereby increasing accident risk. Officers on patrol spotted this dangerous driving and immediately pursued Mr. A, apprehending him at the scene.
Why "Daughter Is Sick" Did Not Serve as Mitigation
During police questioning, Mr. A reportedly stated, "My daughter in Wonju was ill, so I violated traffic laws." While this explains the urgent circumstances, police determined that Mr. A's driving threatened the safety of other vehicles and are investigating him on charges of reckless driving under the Road Traffic Act.
What stands out in this case is not a single speeding violation, but rather multiple types of violations—speeding, failure to maintain safe distance, lane changes without signaling, and intersection traffic law violations—repeated over a short period of time. An isolated violation might result in a single speeding citation, but with these violations compounding in succession, police determined this constituted reckless driving rather than simple speeding.
Police announced their intention to continue intensified enforcement against serious traffic law violations, including speeding and reckless driving that threaten public safety during the Chuseok holiday period.
References
Tags #reckless-driving #speeding #lane-cutting #road-traffic-act #gangwon-hongcheon #national-road-44 #chuseok-holiday-traffic-enforcement #gangwon-police-agency #failure-to-maintain-safe-distance #abrupt-lane-change #traffic-law-violation #speeding-enforcement #reckless-driving-penalties #hongcheon-traffic-accident #chuseok-return-journey-safety