A recent hit-and-run car accident in downtown Xi'an, Shaanxi province, killed four junior high students, and left one student seriously injured.
This tragedy has brought the subject of student safety to the forefront of public discussion. The education bureau of Xianyang, Shaanxi, has decided to stagger times for city students to go to and leave school, in an attempt to prevent similar accidents occurring again.
The Beijing News has published a commentary, saying that this initiative is far from enough and it is only an initial preventive measure.(www.hxen.com)
The article says one of the major causes of the tragedy is the long-lasting examination-oriented education system, which forces students to devote most of their time to their studies. They have to go to school early in the morning and leave school late in the afternoon.
The inefficient construction of roads, the paper argues, is also to blame for the accident. The construction of roads merely addresses the need of vehicles, and seldom brings into consideration the interest and safety of pedestrians. This would explain why roads are becoming wider while sidewalks are getting more narrow. The paper also points out that the deadly accident was the result of the driver's poor driving attitude and his ignorance of traffic rules. Drivers rarely slow down, even when they pass schools.
The article suggests increasing lighting facilities in key student areas of the city and ask students to wear light-reflecting equipment.
