Chinese ride-hailing once again under safety spotlight after woman injured jumping out of moving vehicle

The woman jumped out of the vehicle after she became scared because the driver took two diversions to the original route

A similar incident happened in February but the woman did not survive the jump

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A woman jumped out of a moving car during a Shouqi ride-hailed trip because the driver made two diversions off the specified route. Photo: Reuters

Published: 5:00pm, 22 Jun 2021Updated: 5:00pm, 22 Jun 2021

A woman in eastern China suffered a broken arm and other injuries after she jumped out of a moving ride-hailing vehicle because she feared for her personal safety after the driver diverted from the intended route twice.

It is the second incident of someone bailing out of a moving vehicle this year because they were worried about their safety during a ride-hailing trip. Earlier this year, a woman died after she got scared and jumped out of a Lalamove van while in transit.

In the most recent incident, the woman, identified by her surname Gao, jumped out of a ride-hailing trip she booked via Shouqi, the second-most popular ride-hailing app on the mainland, after Didi Chuxing.

Ride-hailing companies in China have faced passenger safety issues in recent years. Photo: SCMP

The driver, surnamed Zhang, was apparently a local of the Fuyang district in Hangzhou, in the eastern province of Zhejiang, where the ride was booked. Authorities said Zhang decided he knew a faster route and told Gao there “was nothing wrong” with his choice and kept driving.

The government said in a notice that “Gao panicked” after Zhang diverted his route again and she “opened the back door and exited the moving vehicle, injuring herself”. The report said Zhang immediately stopped and called the police. He is not accused of breaking any serious law but did violate transport regulations.