China sees drop in traffic cases in 2025, clarifies driver liability

China's road traffic safety situation remained stable last year, with a reduction in related criminal cases, the country's top court announced on Friday.

According to the Supreme People's Court, Chinese courts handled over 43,000 first-instance cases involving traffic accident crimes, marking a decrease of more than three percent from the previous year. They also processed over 230,000 first-instance cases of dangerous driving, which showed a nearly 16 percent year-on-year decline.

The SPC emphasized the critical link between road traffic safety and economic and social development, as well as the protection of lives and property, highlighting its importance in public safety governance.

To standardize adjudication in similar cases, enhance the quality and efficiency of case handling, and effectively protect public safety and citizens' lives and properties, the SPC on Friday highlighted five significant cases. The cases underscore the necessity for heavier penalties for drug-impaired driving and clarify that drivers remain responsible for safety even after activating assisted driving features.

"In the era of increasingly widespread assisted driving technology, some individuals activate these systems and then neglect their driving responsibilities, engaging in activities such as using their phones or even sleeping. Some even install illegal devices to bypass safety monitoring systems, enabling extended hands-free driving. Such behavior poses a severe threat to road traffic safety," the SPC stated.

The court stressed that in-vehicle assisted driving system cannot replace the driver as the main operator. "Once the assisted driving feature is activated, drivers still perform the driving task and are accountable for maintaining safety," it noted.

It further stated, "If someone activates the assisted driving function and uses unauthorized accessories to circumvent system monitoring, they must still be regarded as the primary driver and bear the corresponding legal responsibilities, even if they are not physically controlling the vehicle at the time."