CHINA MAY AMEND CONTROVERSIAL ROAD SAFETY LAW

A draft amendment has been introduced in China that may change the country’s much-disputed road transportation law, reports Beijing News today. Currently the law states that motorists have to take responsibility for accidents involving cyclists or pedestrians, no matter who is at fault — although liability can be eased if they can show that they did their best to avoid any accident. The draft amendment would mean that drivers would only be asked to pay about 10% of the compensation that exceeds the mandatory vehicle insurance for accidents involving pedestrians or non-motorised vehicles — but only if the driver can prove that the other party broke traffic laws first. If both parties are equally to blame, the motorist would be liable for 60% of the cost of the accident, while the motorist would bear 80% of the cost if the counterparty was slightly to blame. The issue became more controversial when in late 2005 a Beijing driver was ordered to pay 100,000 yuan ($13,000) to the family of a man knocked down and killed when crossing a main road that was barred to pedestrians. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Public Security said that there had been 37,000 people killed in road accidents this year in China, with 189,000 being injured.