Han Ximin

ximhan@126.com

AN oil tank truck driver, who used mobile phone, smoked and ate sunflower seeds while driving, leading to his truck overturning, has been detained on the charge of reckless driving.

The accident on Guangzhou-Shenzhen Expressway on March 22 also led to a fire and damages to three other vehicles. His safety companion, surnamed Zhao, and the truck’s owner, surnamed Zhang, have also been criminally detained. Zhang and Kaixin company, under which the truck was operated, were each fined 200,000 yuan (US$23,280).

Police investigation show that the driver, Fan, was unable to spot another vehicle that quickly slowed down in front of him.

To avoid collision, Fan made a hard left with the steering wheel that resulted in the overturn of the oil tanker as it hit the median railing of the expressway. The truck caught fire as a result of the collision.

The accident paralyzed traffic for five hours and led to economic losses of more than 500,000 yuan, police said in a release Wednesday.

Investigation showed that the brake system of the oil tanker failed technical standards and some spare parts had serious safety flaws. Video recorded by an in-cabin camera shows that shortly before the crash, Fan used his mobile phone, smoked and even ate sunflower seeds, all of which are behaviors that are prohibited while driving. The negligence in safety led to his failure to spot the car that had slowed down in front of him and take corrective actions.

The safety companion Zhao, police said, failed his duty to supervise Fan. He was sleeping in the back seat at the time of the accident.

The truck owner Zhang, engaged in the transportation business through sub-contracting for Guangdong Kaixin Energy Science and Technology Co. Ltd., was unable to provide regular maintenance of the vehicle or training to drivers.

Fan, Zhang and Zhao are facing a charge of jeopardizing public safety by dangerous means, according to police.

The company also failed its duty in implementing work safety rules. The manager surnamed Li of the company was fined 30 percent of his income in 2019.