Traffic accident in Qingdao escalates into physical altercation

A traffic accident in Qingdao, Shandong province, went viral, along with a video showing a female driver getting into a physical altercation with a motorist as she tried to merge into traffic going in the opposite direction.

On August 28, the suspect, surnamed Wang, 38, was on her way to a hospital appointment. Faced with heavy traffic and slow movement, Wang drove in the opposite direction to overtake other vehicles. This maneuver led to a confrontation with a vehicle driven by Lin, 26, who was driving in the right direction, according to a statement from the Qingdao Public Security Bureau on Tuesday.

Wang attempted to reverse and move into the correct lane. However, as she reversed, Lin moved forward, so their vehicles remained close together and Wang was prevented from moving into the correct lane. This resulted in Wang's vehicle colliding with a coach traveling in the correct direction. Wang got out of her vehicle and verbally abused Lin.

After reaching an agreement with the coach driver regarding the accident, Wang began verbally abusing and attacking Lin until his nose bled.

The following day, the district public security bureau sentenced Wang to ten days in detention and a fine of 1,000 yuan ($140.52).

During his detention, Wang expressed his regret, wrote a letter of apology, and agreed to cover medical expenses and compensate Lin for the incident.

After a thorough investigation, authorities concluded that the incident was a traffic dispute and did not meet the criteria of deliberate provocation or disruptive behavior.

In addition, Wang was fined 200 yuan and given three penalty points on her driving license by the traffic bureau for driving in the wrong direction.