Guest Post – What To Consider If You’ve Had An Accident In China
Disclaimer: the material presented in the article below should only be considered as a general overview regarding what to know if you get into an accident in China. Should you, or anyone you know, find yourself in this situation, it’s advisable that you should speak to an accident lawyer immediately. The lawyer can help you decide on what are the best legal actions you need to take.
Getting involved in an accident can be scary, especially if you’re in unfamiliar territory. You might be traumatized and afraid of what’s going to happen to you. You may not know how you will deal with the aftermaths of the crash, especially if the laws are new and strange to you. However, if you calm yourself and think wisely, you’ll be safer whether you’re in your home country or currently staying in a foreign country like China. So, in order to familiarize yourself with how to be safe on the road, we will provide you with different Chinese traffic laws and the things to consider if you’ve had an accident in China.
Traffic Laws in China
The fact that most drivers in China ignore the traffic rules should not make you forget that when you get caught, you’ll end up facing severe punishments. These punishments include instantly going to jail without a trial, license suspension, and paying heavy fines. This is why you should be familiar with the different traffic rules and regulations of China.
Drunk Driving There are two types of drunk-driving offenses in China. The first one is “driving while intoxicated,” which classifies people who get caught driving with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.08. The second one is when you get caught with a BAC of 0.02 to 0.08, which is classified as “driving after drinking alcohol.”
Always Follow The Speed Limits
Seatbelts If you’re a front- seat passenger, you should fasten your seatbelt, or you’ll face a fine of 50 yuan ($6). And even if you’re not sitting in the front, you should still wear a seatbelt as it can help save your life.
Legal Driving Age China’s legal driving age is 18.
Using Mobile Devices It’s illegal to use your mobile devices such as phone and tablet while driving.
If you’re foreign and not familiar with the Chinese language, it’s advisable that you should avoid driving. Most road signs are bilingual, but signs on some roads are not.
What You Should Know If You’ve Had an Accident in China
If you get involved in an accident in China, make sure to do the following:
You should wait for the police Never leave the scene of the accident and wait for the police to arrive. If you leave the area, you may end up looking guilty, especially if there’s someone injured or property/properties have been damaged.
You should talk to the police You should ensure that you inform the police of your account of the accident. They should interview you when they are making the police report. You should be entirely truthful when the police are questioning you.
You should keep your calm You should never lose your calm if you get involved in an accident. You should never argue with the other person involved in the crash. You may end up making them hostile, which can cause them to be uncooperative during the trial or when dealing with the insurance company.
You should never negotiate You should never negotiate with the other person involved in the accident. Some drivers will tell you that they’re sorry for the crash, but will later deny this when the police arrive. Wait for your lawyer’s advice before taking any action.
You should obtain the other person’s information To ensure that you can contact the other person involved in the accident, you should obtain his/her complete information.
You should never forget to write down:
Information on the other person involved – Name, home address, and phone number
Insurance details of the other person involved – Insurance company, insurance policy number, and name of insurance agent
Details of the other person’s vehicle – Type, make, and license plate of the vehicle
You should also give your information to the other person involved, so he/she can contact you when needed. If you’ve been injured and unable to write these things down, you can ask someone else to do it for you.
You should write down witnesses’ information You should never forget to look for possible witnesses and write down their information.
You should ask for:
Complete information – Names, home addresses, and phone numbers.
Their view of the accident – Ask them what they think happened, and if they’d be willing to give a statement to the police.
An accident can leave anyone, even with the most experienced drivers, disoriented. Things can be quite confusing, especially if you’re in unfamiliar territory. But with the right knowledge on how to correctly deal with the accident, you may be protected from any unnecessary worry. You may be confused right now, but this is not the time to lose your wits. Just remember to stay at the scene of the accident, talk to the police, never argue, never negotiate, and obtain information.
Joanne Reed has been writing about law and business for almost a decade, and is currently writing her next big law project. She is an avid sports fan and loves watching games if she has free time.
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