An accident occurred at a motor show where an electric vehicle on display was accidentally driven by a middle schooler, striking a visitor standing in front of it.

According to the Chungnam Provincial Police Agency, at around 3:10 PM on the 12th, a middle schooler identified as A (14), who was visiting the motor show held around the parking lot area of Yedang Tourist Farm in Yesan-gun, South Chungcheong Province, with his family, sat in the driver's seat of an electric vehicle on display to look around the interior. He accidentally touched the gear, causing the vehicle to move forward and strike a visitor, B, and another display car in succession.

It was reported that B managed to dodge the moving vehicle, resulting in relatively minor injuries.

The event was hosted by a car rental company, and visitors were reportedly able to view about 80 display cars, some of which they could enter to inspect the interior or take for a test drive.

Police investigations revealed that although the organizers deployed safety personnel at the site, they failed to take separate safety measures such as installing wheel chocks to prevent the display vehicles from moving or shutting off the power.

Based on statements from A, such as, "While looking inside the electric vehicle, I mistook the gear for the wiper and touched it, not knowing the car would move," the police believe that A did not cause the accident intentionally.

However, considering that a major disaster could have occurred if B had failed to dodge in time or had fallen and been trapped under the car, the police plan to book and investigate officials from the organizing side on charges of professional negligence resulting in injury.

(Photo: Yonhap News)