Bus Tragedy Shines Spotlight on Safety

The Chinese public was shocked after police revealed that it was a fight between the driver and a middle-aged female passenger that caused a bus crossing a bridge in Chongqing to lose control and plunge into the river below, killing all 15 of those on board. The tragedy has drawn attention to the all-too frequent incidents of conflict between bus passengers and drivers, including passengers who attack drivers verbally or physically if they miss their stop. Many bus companies are now planning to enclose bus cockpits and are instructing drivers to not engage with passengers, even if they are provoked. Netizens argued that these measures are one-sided and appealed to the authorities to deal with unruly passengers more strictly.