Drones deployed across China to capture accident scenes, direct traffic after highway crashes

Various regions across China have deployed drones to assist in capturing accident scenes, directing traffic, and easing congestion following highway accidents.

On Friday, the first day of the Qingming Festival holiday, highways across China experienced a surge in traffic. In Langfang City, Hebei Province in northern China, a rear-end collision between two vehicles blocked a highway lane, worsening the congestion.

Upon detecting the incident through video monitoring, local traffic officers swiftly deployed a drone, which arrived at the scene within five minutes to assist with the situation.

"The drone has captured photos of the accident scene for evidence. Please exchange driver's licenses and proceed to the next toll station to handle the accident," traffic officer Liu Qifeng announced to the drivers involved, using the drone's loudspeaker.

Following the drone's instructions, the vehicles quickly left the scene, and traffic flow was promptly restored.

On a highway section in east China's Jiangxi Province, two vehicles were involved in a rear-end collision and remained in the driving lane, causing a backlog of traffic behind them.

Local traffic officers used a drone to communicate with the drivers, informing them that the scene had been photographed and instructing them to clear the driving lane.

"We have taken photos and collected evidence of the accident scene. Please move your vehicle out of the driving lane," the officer instructed.

A traffic accident also occurred on Thursday on a highway in east China's Fujian Province, where a truck collided with a van, causing damage to both.

Drones reached the scene just three minutes after the accident, broadcasting safety reminders to drivers and passengers from above and dispatching the nearest on-duty officers to respond quickly to the situation.

While traditional accident response typically takes 15 to 20 minutes, drones can reduce the average handling time to just eight minutes by rapidly collecting evidence and providing remote guidance.

"We have upgraded our drone fleet this year. Equipped with 9-megapixel high-definition cameras for accurate license plate identification and other functions, the drones can not only facilitate quick accident responses but also monitor roads in real time for potential incidents, such as illegal parking or driving in restricted lanes," said Sun Hua, a highway traffic officer with the Hebei Traffic Management Department.

The Qingming Festival, also known as Tomb-Sweeping Day, fell on April 4 this year. It is a traditional Chinese holiday during which people visit the graves of ancestors and enjoy the greenery of springtime.

Drones deployed across China to capture accident scenes, direct traffic after highway crashes

U.S. stocks ended mixed on Friday as investors digested hotter-than-expected inflation data amid ongoing geopolitical uncertainties.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.56 percent to 47,916.57. The S and P 500 slipped 0.11 percent to 6,816.89. The Nasdaq Composite Index rose 0.35 percent to 22,902.89.

Seven of the 11 primary S and P 500 sectors closed lower. Consumer staples and health care led the declines, falling 1.43 percent and 1.33 percent, respectively. Technology and materials were the top performers, advancing 0.76 percent and 0.64 percent.

The U.S. consumer price index (CPI) jumped 3.3 percent in March from a year earlier, representing nearly a full percentage point increase from February's annual pace, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The energy index surged 10.9 percent in March, propelled by a 21.2-percent jump in gasoline prices, which alone accounted for nearly three quarters of the monthly increase across all items.

The core CPI, which excludes volatile food and energy components to measure underlying inflation, increased more modestly, rising 0.2 percent for the month and 2.6 percent year over year.

White House Deputy Press Secretary Kush Desai stated that the economy "remains on a solid trajectory," while acknowledging that food and gas prices have risen. National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett described the current situation as "a temporary energy disruption," adding that the economic effects of the Iran conflict are "a temporary distraction that will very, very quickly go away."

However, Kathy Bostjancic, chief economist at Nationwide, argued that even if a long-lasting deal to end the war is reached and the Strait of Hormuz is fully reopened, "it would take months for oil, gasoline, diesel and other commodity supplies to snap back to pre-war levels and thus for prices to settle back to pre-conflict levels."

Meanwhile, the University of Michigan's preliminary April consumer sentiment index fell sharply to a record low of 47.6, down from 53.3 in March and well below analysts' expectations of 52.0, reflecting growing public concern over the impact of the Iran war on household finances.

Shares of the "Magnificent Seven" technology giants were mostly lower on the day. Nvidia stood out as the strongest performer, rising 2.57 percent.

Investors are now turning their attention to the upcoming U.S.-Iran talks scheduled for this weekend.

U.S. stocks close mixed after shocking inflation data