Road Safety

Here are some tips regarding road safety in China including driving etiquette in the country, PRC driving licenses, seatbelts, police procedure in case of accidents, and crowd behaviour.

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.