Why drivers in China intentionally kill pedestrians

[jeaniebueller]

Warning: some of the descriptions are graphic

www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/foreigners/2015/09/why_drivers_in_china_intentionally_kill_the_pedestrians_they_hit_china_s.html

I
n April a BMW racing through a fruit market in Foshan in China’s Guangdong province knocked down a 2-year-old girl and rolled over her head. As the girl’s grandmother shouted, “Stop! You’ve hit a child!” the BMW’s driver paused, then switched into reverse and backed up over the girl. The woman at the wheel drove forward once more, crushing the girl for a third time. When she finally got out from the BMW, the unlicensed driver immediately offered the horrified family a deal: “Don’t say that I was driving the car,” she said. “Say it was my husband. We can give you money.”


It seems like a crazy urban legend: In China, drivers who have injured pedestrians will sometimes then try to kill them. And yet not only is it true, it’s fairly common; security cameras have regularly captured drivers driving back and forth on top of victims to make sure that they are dead. The Chinese language even has an adage for the phenomenon: “It is better to hit to kill than to hit and injure.”
This 2008 television report features security camera footage of a dusty white Passat reversing at high speed and smashing into a 64-year-old grandmother. The Passat’s back wheels bounce up over her head and body. The driver, Zhao Xiao Cheng, stops the car for a moment then hits the gas, causing his front wheels to roll over the woman. Then Zhao shifts into drive, wheels grinding the woman into the pavement. Zhao is not done. Twice more he shifts back and forth between drive and reverse, each time thudding over the grandmother’s body. He then speeds away from her corpse.


Incredibly, Zhao was found not guilty of intentional homicide. Accepting Zhao’s claim that he thought he was driving over a trash bag, the court of Taizhou in Zhejiang province sentenced him to just three years in prison for “negligence.” Zhao’s case was unusual only in that it was caught on video. As the television anchor noted, “You can see online an endless stream of stories talking about cases similar to this one.”


“Double-hit cases” have been around for decades. I first heard of the “hit-to-kill” phenomenon in Taiwan in the mid-1990s when I was working there as an English teacher. A fellow teacher would drive us to classes. After one near-miss of a motorcyclist, he said, “If I hit someone, I’ll hit him again and make sure he’s dead.” Enjoying my shock, he explained that in Taiwan, if you cripple a man, you pay for the injured person’s care for a lifetime. But if you kill the person, you “only have to pay once, like a burial fee.” He insisted he was serious—and that this was common.


Most people agree that the hit-to-kill phenomenon stems at least in part from perverse laws on victim compensation. In China the compensation for killing a victim in a traffic accident is relatively small—amounts typically range from $30,000 to $50,000—and once payment is made, the matter is over. By contrast, paying for lifetime care for a disabled survivor can run into the millions. The Chinese press recently described how one disabled man received about $400,000 for the first 23 years of his care. Drivers who decide to hit-and-kill do so because killing is far more economical. Indeed, Zhao Xiao Cheng—the man caught on a security camera video driving over a grandmother five times—ended up paying only about $70,000 in compensation.

In 2010 in Xinyi, video captured a wealthy young man reversing his BMW X6 out of a parking spot. He hits a 3-year-old boy, knocking the child to the ground and rolling over his skull. The driver then shifts his BMW into drive and crushes the child again. Remarkably, the driver then gets out of the BMW, puts the vehicle in reverse, and guides it with his hand as he walks the vehicle backward over the boy’s crumpled body. The man’s foot is so close to the toddler’s head that, if alive, the boy could have reached out and touched him. The driver then puts the BMW in drive again, running over the boy one last time as he drives away.Here too, the driver was charged only with accidentally causing a person’s death. (He claimed to have confused the boy with a cardboard box or trash bag.) Police rejected charges of murder and even of fleeing the scene of the crime, ignoring the fact that the driver ran over the boy’s head as he sped away.
These drivers are willing to kill not only because it is cheaper, but also because they expect to escape murder charges. In the days before video cameras became widespread, it was rare to have evidence that a driver hit the victim twice. Even in today’s age of cellphone cameras, drivers seem confident that they can either bribe local officials or hire a lawyer to evade murder charges.


Perhaps the most horrific of these hit-to-kill cases are the ones in which the initial collision didn’t injure the victim seriously, and yet the driver came back and killed the victim anyway. In Sichuan province, an enormous, dirt-encrusted truck knocked down a 2-year-old boy. The toddler was only dazed by the initial blow, and immediately climbed to his feet. Eyewitnesses said that the boy went to fetch his umbrella, which had been thrown across the street by the impact, when the truck reversed and crushed him, this time killing him.


Despite the eyewitness testimony, the county chief of police declared that the truck had never reversed, never hit the boy a second time, and that the wheels never rolled over the child. Meanwhile, one outraged website posted photographs appearing to show the child’s body under the truck’s front wheel.


In each of these cases, despite video and photographs showing that the driver hit the victim a second, and often even a third, fourth, and fifth time, the drivers ended up paying the same or less in compensation and jail time than they would have if they had merely injured the victim.


With so many hit-to-kill drivers escaping serious punishment, the Chinese public has sometimes taken matters into its own hands. In 2013 a crowd in Zhengzhou in Henan province beat a wealthy driver who killed a 6-year-old after allegedly running him over twice. (A television report claims the crowd had acted on “false rumors.” However, at least five witnesses assert on camera that the man had run over the child a second time.)


Of course, not every hit-to-kill driver escapes serious punishment. A man named Yao Jiaxin who in 2010 hit a bicyclist in Xian and returned to make sure she was dead—even stabbing the injured woman with a knife—was convicted and executed. In 2014 a driver named Zhang Qingda who had hit an elderly man in Jiayu Pass in Gansu province with his pickup truck and circled around to crush the man again was sentenced to 15 years in prison.


Both China and Taiwan have passed laws attempting to eradicate hit-to-kill cases. Taiwan’s legislature reformed Article 6 of its Civil Code, which had long restricted the ability to bring civil lawsuits on behalf of others (such as a person killed in a traffic accident). Meanwhile, China’s legislature has emphasized that multiple-hit cases should be treated as murders. Yet even when a driver hits a victim multiple times, it can be hard to prove intent and causation—at least to the satisfaction of China’s courts. Judges, police, and media often seem to accept rather unbelievable claims that the drivers hit the victims multiple times accidentally, or that the drivers confused the victims with inanimate objects.




Hit-to-kill cases continue, and hit-to-kill drivers regularly escape serious punishment. In January a woman was caught on video repeatedly driving over an old man who had slipped in the snow. In April a school bus driver in Shuangcheng was accused of driving over a 5-year-old girl again and again. In May a security camera filmed a truck driver running over a young boy four times; the driver claimed that he had never noticed the child.


And last month the unlicensed woman who had killed the 2-year-old in the fruit market with her BMW—and then offered to bribe the family—was brought to court. She claimed the killing was an accident. Prosecutors accepted her assertion, and recommended that the court reduce her sentence to two to four years in prison.


This light sentence would still be more of a punishment than many drivers have received for similar crimes. But it probably won’t be enough to keep the next driver from putting his car in reverse and hitting the gas.

[patbutcher]

Wtf? What kind of justice system do they have where the courts are constantly believing the person thought it was a trash bag?

That is terrible.

[ttt]

WTF???

[IIOY]

Set up a crazy system, get crazy results. This is barbaric but not exactly surprising if murder is being incentivized.

[theoriginalbean]

That is so incredibly awful.

[underwaterrhymes]

What the fuck kind of world are living in?

[iammalcolmx]

Sept 4, 2015 7:10:39 GMT -5 @mx said:

Is the US better? Most people who kill pedestrians walk away with like a $200 fine. At least the guy in China got prison time!

Don't you think the outrage here has more to do with the details of these peoples deaths? I am too chicken to read the entire article but the comments make it sound barbaric.

[ttt]

Sept 4, 2015 7:10:39 GMT -5 @mx said:

Is the US better? Most people who kill pedestrians walk away with like a $200 fine. At least the guy in China got prison time!

Even people who intentionally kill pedestrians, on video??  Our system is messed up too, but I find it hard to believe that someone who is caught on video running someone over, then backing up and running over them several more times wouldn't be convicted and sentenced to a long prison term. 

[eclaires]

Sept 4, 2015 7:21:28 GMT -5 ttt said:

Sept 4, 2015 7:10:39 GMT -5 @mx said:

Is the US better? Most people who kill pedestrians walk away with like a $200 fine. At least the guy in China got prison time!

Even people who intentionally kill pedestrians, on video??  Our system is messed up too, but I find it hard to believe that someone who is caught on video running someone over, then backing up and running over them several more times wouldn't be convicted and sentenced to a long prison term. 

Yeah, I would be surprised if this ever happened here.  I think the US suffers more from issues of distracted and negligent driving.  Our laws are set up in a way where intent matters, and while that can have it's pitfalls, I think in situations like this, it's probably the most fair option.  Though I wouldn't be opposed to making certain types of distracted driving/negligence subject to stiffer penalties, and some states may already be there.

[rupertpenny]

I've lived in Hong Kong for over a year and a half now and I often feel guilty that I haven't been to the mainland yet, but then I read something like this and it makes me never want to go. Of course it could happen here too, but I've never heard about it. Just thinking about that 2 year old in Guangdong, which is right next door, makes me never want to let my two year old leave our apartment again. 

[Cicero]

Sept 4, 2015 7:10:39 GMT -5 @mx said:

Is the US better? Most people who kill pedestrians walk away with like a $200 fine. At least the guy in China got prison time!

If you there is evidence that you intentionally killed someone (ie, ran over them twice), vehicular homicide is the least of your problems and you'll likely be looking at a higher degree murder charge.

ETA: And that's not even touching a wrongful death suit.

[IIOY]

Americans are not driving over children's heads repeatedly on camera and/or with multiple witnesses and getting a $200 fine.

[teflepi]

Sept 4, 2015 7:10:39 GMT -5 @mx said:

Is the US better? Most people who kill pedestrians walk away with like a $200 fine. At least the guy in China got prison time!

Yes. Yes they are.  They do not intentionally run over a child's head 3 fucking times.  This post has me hot.  He got prison time for reckless driving or something.  People who intentionally do this in the US will get jail time.  Intent is the key word above.

[cap]

Holy crap - that's some messed up legal system. I'm not implying it's perfect in the US, but at least you can't get away with a minor fine for repeatedly driving over someone.

[underwaterrhymes]

Although I agree that this is fucking hideous and that the Chinese justice system is fucked up , I wouldn't be sitting too high on my pedestal here in the States considering the sheer number of black men and women (and children) who have been killed with no repercussions at all given to the perpetrator.

[blink]

HOW DOES VIDEO OF PEOPLE FUCKING RUNNING OVER OTHERS MULTIPLE TIMES (intentionally reversing and going forward, reversing and going forward) NOT CAUSE THESE PEOPLE TO BE CHARGED WITH MURDER? WHAT KIND OF COURT SYSTEM IS THIS? OMG! I'm just imagining walking and getting hit and then running away or not saying anything so I don't get fucking killed. So it's a win-win for the rich sickos, if you do hit someone and don't kill them they might not want to say anything for fear of their lives, and if you do know you hit, them just kill them. Either way you keep all (most) of your monies.

[KateAggie]

Are we really playing "at least" in this thread? Really?

[KateAggie]

Tell you what. You can live here or live in China. Go ahead and decide which you'd prefer. I'll wait.

[iammalcolmx]

Sept 4, 2015 7:50:49 GMT -5 underwaterrhymes said:

Although I agree that this is fucking hideous and that the Chinese justice system is fucked up , I wouldn't be sitting too high on my pedestal here in the States considering the sheer number of black men and women (and children) who have been killed with no repercussions at all given to the perpetrator.

Say what now?

[iammalcolmx]

Sept 4, 2015 7:58:21 GMT -5 KateAggie said:

Tell you what. You can live here or live in China. Go ahead and decide which you'd prefer. I'll wait.

My Black ass is staying here.....

[underwaterrhymes]

Sept 4, 2015 8:00:12 GMT -5 iammalcolmx said:

Sept 4, 2015 7:50:49 GMT -5 underwaterrhymes said:

Although I agree that this is fucking hideous and that the Chinese justice system is fucked up , I wouldn't be sitting too high on my pedestal here in the States considering the sheer number of black men and women (and children) who have been killed with no repercussions at all given to the perpetrator.

Say what now?

I just meant people were saying this would never happen here in the States. However we have seen multiple times black people murdered with the perpetrators walking free. Our justice system is also pretty screwed up.

[IIOY]

Sept 4, 2015 7:50:49 GMT -5 underwaterrhymes said:

Although I agree that this is fucking hideous and that the Chinese justice system is fucked up , I wouldn't be sitting too high on my pedestal here in the States considering the sheer number of black men and women (and children) who have been killed with no repercussions at all given to the perpetrator.

Whatever our many flaws, the American justice system is miles ahead of this bullshit.

[underwaterrhymes]

Sept 4, 2015 8:03:25 GMT -5 IIOY said:

Sept 4, 2015 7:50:49 GMT -5 underwaterrhymes said:

Although I agree that this is fucking hideous and that the Chinese justice system is fucked up , I wouldn't be sitting too high on my pedestal here in the States considering the sheer number of black men and women (and children) who have been killed with no repercussions at all given to the perpetrator.

Whatever our many flaws, the American justice system is miles ahead of this bullshit.

I don't disagree.

But my hackles got up when I saw people indicating that if it was caught on video and was clearly intentional that people in the States wouldn't walk free.

That can and has happened here.

But I don't mean to take away from the horror that the Chinese system is in this case. You are absolutely correct that our system is light years better.

[iammalcolmx]

Sept 4, 2015 8:02:58 GMT -5 underwaterrhymes said:

Sept 4, 2015 8:00:12 GMT -5 iammalcolmx said:

Say what now?

I just meant people were saying this would never happen here in the States. However we have seen multiple times black people murdered with the perpetrators walking free. Our justice system is also pretty screwed up.

If people were on video finishing off people in their cars , they would go to jail.

Oh look what I found!!  This dude wasn't even on tape, Perp White victim Black and we are all in Georgia : www.ajc.com/news/news/breaking-news/man-24-found-guilty-of-murder-for-running-over-dou/nnPC4/

[ttt]

Sept 4, 2015 8:11:42 GMT -5 iammalcolmx said:

Sept 4, 2015 8:02:58 GMT -5 underwaterrhymes said:

I just meant people were saying this would never happen here in the States. However we have seen multiple times black people murdered with the perpetrators walking free. Our justice system is also pretty screwed up.

If people were on video finishing off people in their cars , they would go to jail.

Oh look what I found!!  This dude wasn't even on tape, Perp White victim Black and we are all in Georgia : www.ajc.com/news/news/breaking-news/man-24-found-guilty-of-murder-for-running-over-dou/nnPC4/

Also, he got life without parole. As he should have. 


patch.com/georgia/douglasville/dewey-green-sentenced-road-rage-death-grandmother-0 

[Cicero]

Sept 4, 2015 8:09:29 GMT -5 underwaterrhymes said:

Sept 4, 2015 8:03:25 GMT -5 IIOY said:

Whatever our many flaws, the American justice system is miles ahead of this bullshit.

I don't disagree.

But my hackles got up when I saw people indicating that if it was caught on video and was clearly intentional that people in the States wouldn't walk free.

That can and has happened here.

Please provide the receipts. I must be really out of it that I'm not remembering all of the rampant cases of vehicles purposefully running people down and reversing over them in full view of witnesses and cameras where they are given $200 fines instead of being charged with intentional homicide.

[underwaterrhymes]

I apologize. A point I thought was salient (our own justice system's failures when it comes to disenfranchised communities) clearly wasn't. I will say I was not saying that we have scores of people running over children with no repercussions, but rather that we have witnesses (and in at least one case, a video) of people being shot with the perpetrators walking free.

However it wasn't the right place.

My intent was not to take away from the horror of this and I should have thought twice before impulsively posting.

[iammalcolmx]

The intent to kill these people is the main focus of this article/post. If we were just talking about pedestrian deaths that would be totally different.

[ChillyMcFreeze]

mx, you're basically the most level headed person on this board. Why you gotta go and say things like that ^^^?

[aurora]

Back to the OP...I had to stop at the story of the toddler who got up and went to grab the umbrella that he had dropped.

Absolutely heartwrenching.