A vehicle driving down a two-lane road in the dead of night suddenly encounters an object lying ahead.

It was a man in his 40s lying on the road.

He is what is known as a "stealth pedestrian"—someone sitting or lying on the road who is difficult for drivers to spot.

An analysis of 105 fatal accidents on side roads—where sidewalks and roadways are not separated—conducted by the Samsung Traffic Safety Research Institute showed that 30 percent of them involved such "stealth pedestrians."

The accidents were concentrated on roads lacking adequate pedestrian space, with roads between 3 meters and under 6 meters wide seeing the highest number at 22 cases.

Overall, 41 percent of fatal accidents on side roads predominantly occurred during nighttime hours between 7:00 PM and 7:00 AM the next day. For stealth pedestrian accidents, the nighttime proportion reached 62.5 percent, which is 1.5 times that of regular pedestrian accidents.

By season, accidents occurred relatively more frequently in autumn and winter, which is analyzed to be due to a concentration of accidents during periods when pedestrians engage in frequent outdoor activities and have a higher likelihood of alcohol consumption.

The institute explained that to eliminate pedestrian blind spots, it is necessary to physically separate pedestrian and vehicle traffic spaces by installing guardrails and other measures.

[Lee Sung-ryeol / Senior Researcher, Samsung Traffic Safety Research Institute: "Through systems like pedestrian-recognition CCTVs, automatic warnings can be issued, or prompt safety measures for stealth pedestrians can be taken directly through 119 or 112..."]

It also emphasized that because accidents are concentrated at night, visibility needs to be improved through smart streetlights and illuminated signs.

Terrified While Driving Down Pitch-Dark Roads... Tragedy After Lying on the Road (8 News, September 2, 2026)

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