Family of bus fatality given 560,000 yuan

(China Daily)
Updated: 2009-11-26 10:33

The parents of an 18-year-old man, killed in a tragic bus crash on Nov 10, have received an out of court settlement of 560,000 yuan from the bus company, local media reported yesterday.

The family of Li Junbo and the Beijing Public Transport Holdings held a four-hour private negotiation last Friday to decide on the amount of compensation to be awarded, the Beijing News said.

The family had originally asked for 1.2 million yuan for their son's death, but the bus company said their limit was 280,000 yuan.

The family received the compensation on Monday afternoon, only hours after memorial rituals were held for Li. The family has now returned to their hometown in Henan province.

Li was run over by a No 322 bus while waiting at another bus stop at the Sihui terminal in east Beijing on Nov 10. He died immediately.

Witnesses said the bus accelerated when about to pick up passengers. The vehicle sped towards roadblocks but made a sudden turn and crashed into Li's bus stop.

Four other people at the stop were also injured.

A preliminary investigation found that the driver had hit the accelerator by accident. The bus crashed as the driver attempted to regain control, the bus authority said.

The authority ruled out mechanical problems following a routine check of all its No 322 buses citywide. And traffic police said alcohol tests proved the driver had not consumed alcohol.

Li had been a construction worker in Beijing, his mother told local media.

The bus driver is still under police investigation, the Beijing public security bureau said. It was unknown whether his license will be suspended. The driver was detained but not arrested.