On the afternoon of October 18, a traffic accident occurred on Lesha Avenue in Leshan, Sichuan Province, where a straight-going motorcycle collided with a car making a left turn, resulting in the deaths of 3 individuals and sparking attention on social media.
A circulated video shows a white car making a left turn and colliding with a motorcycle on the opposite lane. Both vehicles were badly damaged, with the front of the car severely destroyed and the motorcycle almost disintegrated. A woman on the back seat of the motorcycle was thrown nearly a hundred meters away, and at least two individuals were lying on the road covered with blue sheets.
According to reports from Chinese media, a witness named Mr. Zhu stated that the incident occurred around 4 pm on the 18th. He was in a ride-hailing car when the motorcycle passed by him at high speed, driven by a man with a woman on the back seat. “The motorcycle flew past me, and within 5 seconds, I could no longer see them,” Mr. Zhu said.
Mr. Zhu, who is also a motorcycle enthusiast, estimated that the motorcycle was traveling at a speed of at least 150 kilometers per hour, exceeding the speed limit of 70 kilometers per hour for that road section, which also had speed cameras.
Shortly after the ride-hailing car moved forward, Mr. Zhu witnessed the accident scene. The small car was still emitting smoke, and both the car driver and the motorcycle rider were in critical condition. The woman who was thrown off the motorcycle had blood in her helmet and showed no signs of life. Mr. Zhu then called emergency services and the police.
It was revealed by some netizens that the motorcycle involved in the accident was a newly purchased Yamaha R1, rented out by the owner to someone, and the man involved borrowed it from that person to take the woman for a ride.
The over-speeding motorcycle incident has drawn public attention.
One netizen commented, “Traveling at 80 kilometers per hour on regular roads with a motorcycle is already quite dangerous, let alone at 150 kilometers per hour which is akin to suicide. Scientifically speaking, at a speed of 150 kilometers per hour, it’s equivalent to jumping off a 25-story building. Isn’t that suicide? Moreover, regarding the white car making a left turn, I’m not sure how far people usually look for oncoming vehicles before making a turn. Personally, I would signal for a turn when there is about a 100-meter distance, but at 150 kilometers per hour, that distance would be covered in just two and a half seconds.”
“Making illegal U-turns and turns without signals are the main causes, with the speeding motorcycle going straight. In China, 90% of four-wheeled vehicles don’t use turning signals, and this is the root cause. Just look at the comments section; if a motorcycle going at 150 kilometers per hour hits a vehicle making an illegal turn without signaling.”
“Young people find the thrill of speed irresistible. Once their adrenaline rushes, they lose control. The roads may seem smooth now, but with many vehicles and pedestrians, the road conditions are complex. If an accident occurs, it could be game over in an instant.”