Road tragedies scream for ethics and rules_其他

Road tragedies scream for ethics and rules

The driver's behavior would definitely be heinous if he is proven to have intentionally killed the boy. But even if no willful intention is found on the part of the driver, the behavior is still no less disgusting. It is even more worrying because it shows a terrible apathy for the possible loss of human life or possible injury to others.

This is exactly what is common among a considerably large number of Chinese motorists, especially those who had bought their first automobiles in recent years.

As China's economic growth and wealth accumulation quickened in the past decade, Chinese people suddenly realized that owning a private car was no longer the privilege of a small segment of society. Private car ownership has risen dramatically in the past decade. In 2003, when privately owned sedans were included in the country's official statistics for the first time, there were 4.95 million of these vehicles across the country. The number soared to 26.05 million by the end of last year, a fivefold increase. Twenty years ago, the number was only 820,000.

The sudden arrival of the so-called "automobile age" has seen many people scrambling to own a car. Sitting behind the wheel in that enclosed space, new motorists often feel as if they have everything to themselves. Hence, there has also been a slew of reckless behavior in driving. Many motorists do not stop or slow down when they approach a zebra crossing for pedestrians. They speed through the pools on the road to splash rainwater on passers-by. They change lanes without signaling. They never turn off their blinding headlights on a two-way road at night. They drive onto the shoulder of a highway when spotting a jam ahead.