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Tips for the Road Safety :
Driving Etiquette in China
Driving etiquette in China
is usually missing. Even in major cities the people
tend to break traffic rules, if traffic police personnel
are not on the scene. As
a result, the traffic wears a chaotic look. Traffic
courtesies are usually ignored. It is common for cars
and buses to intrude in the wrong lanes. So pedestrians
should always be careful. Most traffic injuries involve
pedestrians or cyclists who are involved in collisions
or who encounter unexpected road hazards like open manholes.
While crossing streets, the pedestrians should be extra
careful.
PRC Driving Licenses
Foreigners with resident permits could apply for PRC
driver licenses. However, due to liability issues, employing
a local driver is preferable.
Seatbelts
The Chinese are not in habit of wearing seatbelts. Even
in the taxis and cabs, the seatbelts are missing. However,
if your car has the seatbelt and you remember wearing
it, you could avoid major injury in the event of a collision.
Child safety seats are not widely available in China.
In Case of Accidents
You are advised not to move your
vehicle from the scene of the accident unless the traffic
police direct you. The police will do a preliminary
investigation determining who was at the fault
and ask you to report to the police station responsible
for the accident scene. Don't readily sign the report
the police prepare. First ensure that it is accurate.
If the report is written in Chinese and you cannot comprehend
it, sign with a disclaimer to the effect that you cannot
read and understand the report and cannot attest to
the accuracy thereof, but are signing it because of
the police are asking you do so.
Crowd Behaviour
The Chinese usually gather at the
spot of the accident. In this case the driver should
remain calm. The crowd, if it considers you at fault,
could behave like an ad hoc jury and ask you to pay
the damages to the other party. A certain amount of
bargaining would do. If a traffic police booth is nearby,
you could leave the vehicle on the spot and wait there
for the police accident team.
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