Wenzhou Driver Fined for Causing Crash While Retrieving Shoe During ADAS Use

On July 23, on the Wenzhou Ring Expressway in Zhejiang Province, driver Zheng lost control of his vehicle while using an intelligent driving assistance system. He had bent down to pick up his child’s dropped slipper, causing the car to veer off course and crash into the central guardrail, resulting in severe vehicle damage. Fortunately, no injuries occurred, and other vehicles were unaffected. Zheng stated that he accidentally touched the steering wheel while bending over, which deactivated the intelligent driving assistance system. Traffic police fined Zheng 200 yuan and deducted three points from his driver's license for distracted driving, in accordance with the law, and provided him with safety education. Authorities emphasized that current intelligent driving assistance systems are not fully autonomous; drivers must remain attentive at all times while using them and must not drive while distracted, fatigued, or under the influence of alcohol. If any item falls inside the vehicle during travel, drivers should proceed to a service area or a safe location to stop before retrieving it.