No washing of hands over street cleaning

The Fourth Ring Road in Beijing in a morning rush hour. City authorities are working on solutions to ease the pressures on traffic in the city. Zhuo Ensen / For China Daily

Forty two traffic accidents were caused as a result of the road sprinkling by the local sanitation department in Fuyang, East China's Anhui province, early on Thursday morning when the temperature was reported to be minus 5 degrees Centigrade. The local sanitation department apologized to the public later, saying it would strengthen management to avoid any similar incidents in the future. Rednet.cn comments:

According to a joint regulation issued by relevant local departments when the temperature drops below freezing point, the practice of washing roads should be suspended. In addition to the sanitation department taking responsibility and making reparations, we need to reflect on why the regulation was not adhered to.

The sanitation truck drivers said there was no accurate thermometer on the sprinkler, so they had no way of knowing whether to stop spraying and there was no notice telling them not to. Nor did residents receive warnings about the possibility of ice on the roads.

To ensure the roads can be cleaned in winter without any accidents, requires the meteorological office to cooperate with the sanitation departments, and forewarn them of any anticipated freeze so road sprinkling activities can be suspended.

Drivers also need to be cautioned when there is the possibility roads may be slippery.

Finally a complete accountability mechanism is needed so that if there is an accident it is clear which department bears responsibility.