A Beijing man has told a New Zealand court that his driving experience in the Chinese capital left him unable to prevent a fatal car accident that killed a fellow Chinese tourist.
A defense counsel for 36-year-old Jing Huang, who has been charged with causing death by careless driving, told Christchurch District Court that his client was “an experienced driver” but that New Zealand country roads are “not the kind of driving conditions he is used to in Beijing,” reports Stuff.co.nz.
After sliding on gravel on a country road near Lake Pukaki in New Zealand’s South Island, Huang’s car then fell down a bank, hitting rocks before landing on its roof. He was charged with the death of his passenger Jing Jing Luo.
The Beijing resident, who was on holiday at the time, has offered to pay NZD120,000 (RMB527,400) compensation to the victim’s family, some of whom flew out from China to receive his “heart-felt apologies.” Having already offered immediate compensation of NZD20,000 (RMB97,000), Huang hopes to complete the payments in the next five to 10 years.
The judge, who did not impose a fine, described the accident as a tragedy. He mentioned in court that it is Chinese custom for compensation to be paid after fatal accidents, before noting: “No amount of reparation can change what has occurred or bring back the deceased.”
Image via Stuff.co.nz
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