In recent news from Epoch Times on May 8, 2025, a food delivery guy in Wuhan, Hubei province, collided with a Maybach sedan on the carriageway. The delivery guy was thrown forward, and his head got stuck in the gap of the Maybach’s engine hood, creating a perilous scene that garnered widespread attention and became a hot search topic on May 8.
Around 10 a.m. on May 7, a traffic accident occurred near the Optics Valley Walking Street in Wuhan, Hubei province. At that time, with heavy traffic flow, a food delivery rider was traveling in the opposite direction at a high speed and collided with a Maybach sedan turning out of a junction.
Due to the strong impact, the rider and his vehicle fell forward, with his head wedged between the sedan’s engine hood and the body, resulting in a gruesome scene. The electric bike was scattered with parts all over the ground, and the wheels were spinning rapidly due to inertia. Chaos ensued on the street, with vehicles urgently applying brakes.
After the accident, nearby shop owners and passersby immediately called emergency services. When rescue personnel arrived, they found the rider with multiple abrasions on his head, arms, and other areas, but he was conscious. He was then taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. Medical checks indicated that the rider’s vital signs were stable, and he was not in critical condition.
The traffic police determined that the food delivery guy’s reckless driving was the main cause of the accident, holding him fully responsible for the incident.
The incident sparked discussions online, with netizens expressing various opinions.
“Old Dong Electronics Repair”: “Misfortunes never come singly, trouble comes in a chain. The rope snaps at the thinnest spot, misfortune finds only the unfortunate.”
“GD Bright Rising”: “Earn a few bucks delivering food, but have to pay hundreds of thousands in damages, it’s truly an irreplaceable loss, a fate worse than death.”
Some netizens believe that while the food delivery guy was at fault, the high repair costs of the Maybach, being a luxury car, might pose a heavy burden for the delivery guy with a low income. They hope that both parties can negotiate a fair solution.
Other netizens urge food delivery platforms to optimize delivery time regulations to prevent delivery personnel from breaking traffic rules due to time pressure.
Statistical data shows that in Wuhan in 2024, 68% of traffic accidents involving food delivery personnel were related to wrong-way driving, with overspeeding accounting for over half.
A blog post by “Worth Noting” stated that this seemingly accidental traffic accident actually reflects a deeper contradiction in the food delivery industry. In today’s food delivery industry, the concept of speed supremacy permeates the entire delivery process, becoming a significant reason for delivery personnel to ignore traffic rules.
From the platform’s perspective, strict requirements on delivery times have become an unwritten rule in the industry. To meet consumers’ expectations of fast delivery, enhance user experience, and gain a competitive edge in the market, various food delivery platforms are focusing on delivery times. Some platforms promise delivery within 30 minutes, with slogans even boasting ultra-fast delivery in 20 minutes. Under this time pressure, delivery personnel become like clockwork machines, racing against time through the city streets.
Looking at the income structure of food delivery personnel themselves, their earnings are closely tied to the number of orders and delivery efficiency. Delivering an extra order means more income, timely delivery brings additional rewards, while delays result in fines. While this incentive mechanism to some extent improves delivery efficiency, it also puts immense psychological pressure on delivery personnel. In order to complete more orders within the designated time, earn higher income, they often take risks, disregarding traffic rules. Wrong-way driving, running red lights, overspeeding, and other dangerous behaviors seem like inevitable choices to them.