THE city government plans to pass a good Samaritan law to provide legal protection to people who aid others, according to yesterday’s Southern Metropolis Daily.

    This comes after cases across China of people being left injured in the street because passers-by fear being sued for helping them.

    The legislation, drafted by the municipal health, population and family planning commission, is seeking suggestions from the public. Residents are free to give their opinion on the legislation on the official website of the city’s legislative affairs office.

    Besides protecting residents who help the injured, the legislation also requires certain public spaces, like police stations, schools, parks and transportation stops, to have people trained in first aid.

    A slew of cases where people trying to help were blackmailed has discouraged passers-by from helping the injured.

    In Shenzhen two years ago, a woman passed out at the exit of a Metro station and was left lying unattended on the stairs for 50 minutes before being confirmed dead.

    The woman’s parents sued Shenzhen Metro Co. for not handling the emergency properly.

    News reports indicate that passers-by did not help her because they feared being held responsible for her potential death.

    The legislation is said to have referred to U.S. good Samaritan laws, which protect people from being sued by injured people they help.

    The legislation also requires the government to promote first-aid knowledge among public employees.

    According to Tuo Mingsheng, director of the medical legislation committee of the Shenzhen Lawyers’ Association, the legislation also needs to decide whether aid providers can be held liable for inappropriate conduct while legally protecting those who help.

    Tuo thinks that rescuers should shoulder a certain degree of responsibility if they decide to offer help. A benchmark should be issued to weigh responsibility, according to Tuo. (Zhang Qian)