Fatal accident needs fair police probe

Two people died and one person was injured in a traffic accident in Nanjing, capital of East China's Jiangsu province on June.20, when a 35-year-old BMW driver tried to jump a red light at an intersection, smashing into a Mazda then a taxi. [Photo/CFP]

Two people died and one person was injured in a traffic accident in Nanjing, capital of East China's Jiangsu province on Saturday, when a 35-year-old BMW driver tried to jump a red light at an intersection, smashing into a Mazda then a taxi. After initially saying the BMW driver was responsible, the Nanjing police on Sunday seemed to backtrack on Sunday. Comments:

As the authorized investigators into the cause of the accident, the Nanjing police should conduct a transparent investigation and disclose relevant information to the public. Saying that "the BMW's speed is still being investigated" is acceptable, but saying that "the sedan was speeding slightly, but not out of control" is not, because such a conclusion is simply based on the surveillance video. This may explain why people suspect that the police are defending the BMW driver instead of responding to public concerns.

Beijing Times, June 23

Fearing that a similar tragedy might as well happen to themselves, even when they abide by the traffic rules, many who have nothing to do with the road accident in Nanjing are in favor of imposing a heavy punishment on the BMW driver, expecting to send a warning to other dangerous drivers. In addition, given the power-for-money implications embedded in the BMW, people are more likely to doubt whether the case will be fairly dealt with.

eastday.com, June 24

Despite the rapid increase in the number of vehicles on China's roads, many drivers are yet to pay enough attention to safety, encouraged by the lax enforcement of the regulations. Those who fear being involved in an accident will keep calling for severe punishments for lawbreaking drivers without a second thought.

Chinese Business View, June 23