"I have to go to work" — Can a driver who leaves a motorcycle after a wrong-way collision be punished for a hit-and-run?

In the JTBC entertainment program "Han Moonchul's Dashcam Review," cases were covered involving vehicles that failed to take rescue measures after an accident or left the scene claiming they were unaware of the accident. In particular, the case of a driver who collided with a motorcycle while driving the wrong way and left the scene citing work as the reason emerged as a major issue.

Controversy over driver who left motorcycle after accident, saying "I have to go to work"

In the video, a scene was revealed where a vehicle driving the wrong way struck a motorcycle and stopped immediately after the collision, but did not rescue the victim. Due to the accident, the motorcycle driver was seriously injured, diagnosed with fractures in the metatarsals and ribs. According to the situation in the video, the driver stopped the vehicle immediately after the accident but did not approach the victim, and when a nearby witness offered to call the police, the driver showed an attitude of evading the situation by saying, "I have to go to work now."

The cast members raised questions regarding the fact that even after causing the accident, the driver did not take basic rescue measures such as assisting the victim or calling 119. Opinions clashed between the view that it might be difficult to apply "hit-and-run (fleeing after causing injury)" legally since the driver did not completely leave the scene, and the view that strict punishment is necessary because there were no rescue measures for the victim at all.

Claiming it was mistaken for the impact of an oxygen tank, what is the prosecution's judgment?

In another case, an incident was introduced where a vehicle left the scene after being impacted, but later received a non-referral decision regarding hit-and-run charges due to the reason that they "did not know." The driver in question claimed they did not realize the accident occurred because they mistook the sound of a portable oxygen tank loaded in the back of the vehicle hitting something for the sound of the accident impact.

As a result of the police investigation, the possibility that the driver did not recognize the accident was acknowledged, leading to a conclusion of no charges, but it was mentioned that at the prosecution stage, they maintained an open attitude regarding whether that claim could serve as grounds to exclude the recognition of the accident. The cast members reacted that it is difficult to accept the driver's claim as it is, considering the scale of the accident and the degree of impact.

The dangers of distracted bicycle riding and nighttime "stealth bicycles"

Other accident cases followed. In an accident where a bicycle being ridden while using a smartphone collided with a vehicle making a right turn, the bicycle rider's failure to keep a lookout was pointed out. Subsequently, dangerous situations were also addressed where so-called "stealth bicycles" riding without headlights on roads without streetlights during the early morning hours appear in the wrong-way path of large vehicles.

In particular, bicycles riding without lights at night were at a level where it was almost impossible for drivers to identify them visually, which was pointed out as a serious safety issue that could lead to collisions with large vehicles.