Story By: John Feng, Sub-Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Asia Wire Report
Video Credit: AsiaWire
This is the moment a woman test-driving a new Mazda loses control of the car and slams into the dealership’s large window as an accompanying staff member repeatedly shouts “Brake!”
Ms Sun, from the city of Hangzhou in East China’s Zhejiang Province, is now being asked to pay damages in excess of 17,000 RMB (1,880 GBP) for the blunder, which she feels is not her fault.
The accident happened at the end of October as Ms Sun was returning to the dealership following the successful test drive of the new Mazda Axela she wanted to buy.
Dashcam video from the car as well as surveillance footage from the business shows Ms Sun turning into the car park but failing to stop despite being asked to do so by the male employee in the passenger seat.
As she heads towards a row of parked vehicle, Ms Sun panics and gasps, and the staff member repeatedly says: “Brake, brake, brake!” as she crashes into a parked car and then shatters a large pane of glass.
She said: “When I drove it back, I crashed into a parked car, then I panicked and turned into the window.
“They want me to cover all the costs of repairs, but I find that unreasonable.
“They say I’m liable because I drove the car onto their premises.
“They only told me afterwards that customers aren’t allowed to test-drive on their grounds.”
The dealership’s manager, Mr Chen, said company policy requires that all test-drive vehicles be handed back to staff members when they enter dealership grounds.
Customers are usually asked to stop at the entrance, and the dashcam video appears to show the Mazda employee requesting Ms Sun to stop.
Ms Chen said: “The policy is in place precisely to prevent something like this from happening.
“It’s never happened before, but the measure is in place to prevent it.”
Ms Sun, who apparently forgot to use the brake, said: “I did take my foot off the accelerator but the automatic car kept going forward by itself.
“I’m a new driver. I panicked.”
The Mazda dealership has reportedly decided not to pursue damages sustained by the test-drive vehicle and the parked car.
However, they have requested that Ms Sun foot the bill for the broken window and damaged interior, which comes to over 17,000 RMB (1,880 GBP).
Ms Chen says she earns just 3,000 RMB (330 GBP) a month and could not possibly afford to pay the damages demanded by the dealership.
Manager Ms Chen said she would hold further talks with her supervises to see what they could for the young woman.
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