Illustration: Chen Xia/GT

After two years away from China, I recently returned to my native Shanghai anticipating to see all the vast changes and progress and development I'd been reading about while abroad. But nothing prepared me for what the streets of Shanghai have turned into.

Catching a taxi from Hongqiao Airport upon my arrival, the driver sped off down the road as if we were in a Formula 1 race. At one point, another cab came out of nowhere and passed in front of us. My driver leaned on his horn and shouted profanity as he attempted to get his revenge by cutting off the driver who had just cut us off. I gripped my seat, wondering what I had returned to.

Several weeks have passed and I still have never felt so scared for my life than when I am out on the streets here. Drivers turning right or left barely slow down for pedestrians walking across an intersection. Drivers change lanes without any signal or even looking into their rear-view mirror first. Drivers make U-turns right in the middle of a road, completely disregarding oncoming traffic. Those are just a few of the numerous traffic violations I witnessed on a second-by-second basis.

Born and raised in Shanghai, driving never used to be an issue. I didn't start driving myself until I moved to Europe. There I obtained a European driver's license and learned to drive under European laws. I recall my driving coach emphasizing to me that I must stop for pedestrians. Indeed, pedestrian right-of-way is enforced everywhere in Europe.

After I returned to Shanghai, I applied for a Chinese driver's license. Because I am a European license holder, I only needed to take the local written test, which rigorously quizzes us on China's numerous traffic laws. The European written test is 50 questions; the Shanghai version is 100, and far more difficult.

I passed, but having observed the current state of Shanghai's streets, I have no intention of actually driving here. No amount of driving experience in Europe could prepare me for the anarchy taking place on Shanghai's roads and highways. It's as if everyone who passed the written test either instantly forgot it all or just cheated or bribed their way to a license.

Certainly some of those traffic laws are not being obeyed, and many drivers seem to be going out of their way to purposely contradict the road rules. Indeed, according to figures provided by WHO, more than 250,000 people were killed in traffic accidents in China in 2015. Since I've been away, car-related fatalities have become the third-leading cause of death for Chinese. All this is occurring even while Shanghai is under a citywide crackdown campaign targeting unlawful driving behavior.

From what I've researched, the most popular theory to explain China's driving problem is the surging number of vehicles on the roads. According to stats, China sees an average of 22 million new drivers every year, year-on-year for the past five years. In Shanghai alone there were 350,000 new drivers just in 2015.

In Shanghai, another theory is that the arrogance of local drivers is attributed to them seeing their cars as some kind of status symbol. Among the nouveau riche in particular, flush with wealth and power, pedestrians are mere obstacles; should they injure or kill one, it can be taken care of with some pocket cash. It's even become a thing in China for drivers to intentionally kill pedestrians whom they accidentally injured, as it's cheaper to compensate death than pay hospital bills.

A part of the anarchic attitudes of Chinese drivers is that there are no serious implications for breaking the law. The fines in Shanghai are laughably small (e.g. 200 yuan ($30.39) for running a red light). Back in Europe, I was issued a 180-euro ticket for speeding 2 kilometers over the limit. The police there do their duty to uphold traffic laws and keep streets safe.

Shanghai is eager to be recognized by the world as a modern, international city. However, its poor driving behavior and dangerous streets will probably keep most people from ever feeling truly comfortable or safe here.

The opinions expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Global Times.