A man lay unconscious on the road, and a Fukan car stopped to protect the injured man. Photographed by netizen "Guangzhou".
According to the Yangcheng Evening News report by reporter Liang Yitaiz: On the 23rd, a man was found lying unconscious with head injuries on the Xiehe Primary School section of Guangzhou's Inner Ring Road A-line. Immediately, a passing car stopped next to the injured person and turned on the hazard lights to prevent him from being run over. At noon on the same day, a netizen posted this incident on the Guangdong forum of the "iCar Community", which then spread to Sina Weibo, quickly gaining widespread attention from many netizens. In addition to concern for the condition of the injured man, more netizens expressed admiration for the drivers who were willing to stop to help.
The driver witnessed the man jumping off a vehicle
According to the post by netizen "Guangzhou" at 1:40 PM on the 23rd on the Guangdong forum of the "iCar Community", around 8:30 AM that day, he was driving past the Xiehe Primary School section of Guangzhou's Inner Ring Road A-line when he noticed a man lying in the middle lane of the road. In front of where the man lay, there was a white Fukan car parked in front of the man.
"That Fukan car did not suddenly stop, but slowly drove up to the man before stopping." Netizen "Guangzhou" told the Yangcheng Evening News that upon seeing this scene, he also quickly parked his car by the roadside and got out to observe the situation. According to the pictures posted by "Guangzhou", the man was wearing a white top and gray trousers, carrying a shoulder bag, with short hair, blood flowing from his head, and the asphalt already stained red by the blood.
"Guangzhou" learned from the Fukan driver present that the driver had witnessed the injured man jumping off a minivan, but the minivan did not stop, instead speeding away. The Fukan driver feared the man might be run over by cars behind, so he parked in front of the fallen man, causing subsequent vehicles to bypass the lane where the man lay, thus preventing further injury.
"I carefully inspected that Fukan car, and it showed no obvious signs of collision, suggesting it wasn't the offending vehicle." "Guangzhou" stated that the Fukan driver appeared calm and even attempted to intercept passing vehicles hoping for assistance. "I've seen some recent reports, knowing that in such situations, those offering help might still be suspected as offenders," "Guangzhou" said, immediately dialing 110 to report the incident. At this point, despite serious injuries, the man was still struggling on the ground.
Soon after, police and an ambulance arrived at the scene. Doctors rescued the injured man and took him to the hospital for emergency treatment while the police questioned the two drivers, later requesting them to proceed to a nearby police station for further inquiry.
Rescuing driver worried about being falsely accused
"If you hadn't been there, I would have truly worried about such an event happening, being falsely accused as the offender." During the police questioning, the Fukan driver expressed to "Guangzhou".
"Guangzhou" told reporters that although he did not witness the entire process of the man falling on the inner ring road, he believed the actions of the Fukan driver allowed the injured man to receive medical treatment and avoid further harm. Therefore, he decided to testify for this man and share the story online.
Subsequently, "Guangzhou"'s friend and netizen "Little Rice in Guangzhou" posted the incident on Sina Weibo, where multiple netizens, including famous host Chen Yang, shared it widely. While some netizens were curious about why the man fell and got injured on the inner ring road, more netizens expressed admiration for the two drivers assisting in the rescue.
Yangcheng Evening News reported by journalist Huang Liang: Around 3 PM on the 23rd, the man who collapsed on the inner ring road died despite attempts to save him. The Guangzhou Public Security Traffic Police Department stated that the police had received the report and intervened in handling the case, with numerous doubts remaining to be investigated. Renowned lawyer Zhu Yongping indicated that from a legal perspective, the act of the car owner stopping to rescue someone constitutes bravery in the face of danger, and the government should offer rewards.
The Guangzhou Public Security Traffic Police Department stated that the police had taken over the case and were working diligently to handle it. Due to unclear video surveillance recordings inside the vehicle, how the man fell off—whether due to an accident or being deliberately thrown off—remains unknown. After falling, no vehicles hit him, leading to questions whether his injuries resulted from the fall or if he was already injured inside the vehicle, all awaiting investigation. The police will release information to the media and public based on their findings.
Renowned Guangzhou lawyer Zhu Yongping interpreted the incident from a legal standpoint. He stated that despite personal risks and potential traffic hazards, the car owner stopped on the road to provide assistance and preserve the scene, demonstrating extraordinary courage, constituting an act of bravery. The government should reward such acts. Regarding the traffic congestion caused behind the stopped car due to the rescue operation, any resulting losses are legally exempt from liability as they stem from rescue efforts.
If the preceding car stopping causes a rear-end collision, does it count as a traffic accident? Zhu Yongping stated it doesn't qualify as a traffic accident; it is considered damage incurred during the preservation of the scene, and both front and rear vehicles should be exempt from liability. Any losses incurred by the car owner should be compensated through the traffic assistance fund, with national protection extended to both vehicles.
Zhu Yongping noted that in this incident, if the car owner didn't stop and instead ran over the man, they would bear legal responsibility. This depends on two scenarios: if they saw the man and still ran over him, it would be intentional harm; if they didn't see him, it would be negligent harm (on the road, one should notice, and failure to do so due to negligence constitutes negligence). Both carry legal responsibilities. Determination of whether the person was seen or not depends on the suspect's confession and other evidence, such as brake marks, witness statements, video surveillance, and technical appraisals.
Zhu Yongping also noted that this incident demonstrates the positive effects of society's ongoing discussion on acts of bravery. He suggested expanding the legal meaning of bravery to include rescuing people in dangerous situations, including notifying the police, preserving the scene, and providing aid.