A screenshot from a video showing Xu, the driver of the Mercedes SUV, taking photos with a smile amid the damage

The owner of a Mercedes SUV, who got an in traffic collision, received praise from Chinese netizens when he was still able to smile and take photos amid the damage.

An officer at the local public security bureau in Lichuan, Central China's Hubei Province, told thepaper.cn on Wednesday that the drivers of the two cars involved in the accident were fine and communicated calmly and politely with each other after the accident to solve the problem. 

The motorists' interaction contradicted assumptions by Chinese netizens that each party would have behaved with anger. Their patience and calmness have been praised online.

According to the police, the accident occurred on October 26 on a narrow, winding country road which is more dangerous on snow days. The front left side of the Mercedes was badly damaged when it collided with a pickup truck, and all six airbags of the Mercedes activated.

Xu, the owner of the Mercedes, and Huang, the driver of the pickup truck, said they were glad there were no casualties. 

Xu said he bought the car for more than 440,000 yuan, and that the repair cost is estimated to be more than 200,000 yuan.

"I am normally outgoing and optimistic," Xu, 38, told thepaper.cn on Wednesday, mentioning that both sides were happy to find only the car damaged, but the divers fine.

"In earlier years, many car owners involved in an accident will quarrel with each other, even fight, with a very tough attitude for fear of suffering more losses. But now, more drivers in the accident can keep calm and relax in dealing with it. This reflects our social progress," one netizen said on Chinese social media. 

"This is the correct way to deal with the traffic accident, as long as the person is safe, the accident both sides should not quarrel but keep calm and patient to take the accident scene photos and wait for the traffic police," a network user commented.

Global Times