liability

A Chinese court rejected a lawsuit filed by a man seeking compensation after his mother tripped over another passenger’s luggage at a train station and later died. The court ruled that the woman, Ms. Wang, who was walking against the flow of traffic, was responsible for her own fall. Mr. Zhang, the passenger with the luggage, had no way to anticipate her actions and was not found negligent. The court cited the Civil Code of the People’s Republic of China in its decision.

A viral video from Anhui, China, shows a driving school trainee mistakenly pressing the accelerator instead of the brake during practice on May 19, causing the vehicle to crash through barriers and into a Geely dealership. No injuries occurred, but the car was likely totaled. The incident sparked debates over safety protocols and liability in driver training, as Chinese law holds institutions—not trainees—responsible for accident damages through mandatory insurance. Industry experts warn of risks amid China’s rapidly growing driving school market, which sees over 30 million new drivers annually and faces calls for standardized safety measures to prevent similar accidents.