Tour Bus, Bicycle Collide on Jeju Province's Road 1100; Man in His 50s in Cardiac Arrest

[Financial News | Jeju—Jeong Yong-bok, Reporter] A man in his 50s who was riding a bicycle was transported to a hospital in cardiac arrest after a tour bus and bicycle collided on Road 1100, which crosses Hallasan on Jeju Province. Police are investigating the exact circumstances of the crash after another serious accident occurred on the mountain road, where steep grades and sharp curves have led to restrictions even on heavy cargo trucks and construction machinery.
According to the Jeju Fire Safety Headquarters and police, a report was received at around 9:25 a.m. on the 3rd that a tour bus and bicycle had collided on Road 1100 in Gwangnyeong-ri, Aewol-eup, Jeju City.
The man in his 50s suffered multiple fractures in the impact and went into cardiac arrest.
At around 9:28 a.m., fire authorities instructed the caller in cardiopulmonary resuscitation through a video call. An ambulance crew arrived at the scene at around 9:46 a.m., administered emergency treatment, and transported the man to a hospital in cardiac arrest at around 9:58 a.m.
Road 1100, where the accident occurred, is a 35.1-km section of Local Road 1139 that connects Jeju City and Seogwipo City via the western side of Hallasan.
The road was named Road 1100 because it passes a point at an elevation of 1,100 meters. It leads to major tourist destinations on Hallasan, including Eorimok and 1100 Altitude. The mountain road is popular not only with tourists traveling by car and bus but also with cyclists. However, it is also challenging to drive because winding sections and steep grades continue along various parts of the road.
Jeju Province and police have strengthened traffic restrictions and safety measures on mountain roads as accidents involving large vehicles continued to occur.
Since July 2021, cargo trucks with a maximum payload of 4.5 tons or more have been prohibited from using a 19.1-km section of Road 1100 between Eoseungsaeng Intersection and the former Tamna University Intersection.
The scope of the restrictions was expanded on the first of last month. In addition to cargo trucks weighing 4.5 tons or more, 27 types of construction machinery—including bulldozers, excavators, and forklifts—and related vehicles were added to the list of restricted vehicles. The measure was prompted by concerns that heavy vehicles and construction machinery have difficulty securing sufficient braking distance on steep and winding roads.
This is not the first serious accident involving a bicycle and a vehicle on Road 1100.
On the morning of September 10 last year, a 1-ton truck collided with a bicycle traveling downhill in the opposite direction on Road 1100, about 1.5 km from the entrance to Eorimok. The man in his 50s riding the bicycle was seriously injured and taken to a hospital in cardiac arrest.
Other types of serious accidents have also occurred. In December 2023, an SUV veered into a ditch beside Road 1100 in Nohyeong-dong, Jeju City, resulting in casualties. In August 2024, an SUV and a passenger car collided near the former Tamna University entrance intersection, seriously injuring five people.
During winter, traffic restrictions are repeatedly imposed because of snow accumulation and icy conditions. As a mountain road crossing Hallasan, Road 1100 can experience rapid changes in road conditions and visibility depending on the weather.
The latest crash has prompted renewed scrutiny of safety measures for different road users because it was another serious accident on Road 1100, where safety management had been strengthened enough to expand restrictions to heavy cargo trucks and construction machinery.
Police are investigating the exact circumstances of the crash and whether the drivers were at fault based on the directions and speeds of the tour bus and bicycle, the point of impact, and dashcam footage.
[email protected] Jeong Yong-bok Reporter