According to Dahe Daily, the incident occurred on 1/5 in Zhejiang, China. While the vehicle was in motion, the woman suddenly requested a route change to pick up a friend. However, the driver stated that the booking address needed to be updated in the system beforehand. The woman was displeased, leading to an argument between the two.

At that moment, while seated in the back, the woman lunged forward and forcefully turned the steering wheel. The driver was startled and quickly regained control of the steering wheel. The two then struggled for a moment, causing the car to swerve off the road. Fortunately, no one was injured.

The incident sparked outrage, with many stating that "the steering wheel is life" and urging passengers to communicate rationally and avoid interfering with driving. Some even shared images of physical barriers used to separate taxi drivers, such as metal frames, glass partitions, or clear plastic enclosures, remarking: "Now I understand why taxi drivers have metal barriers around them. Previously, they were to prevent robbery and extortion; now they are to prevent people from grabbing the steering wheel."

Metal frame separating a taxi driver. Photo: Weibo

Meanwhile, legal experts indicated that under current law, interfering with or seizing control of a moving vehicle's controls could constitute an act endangering safe driving and falls under the category of endangering public safety. "Even if no serious consequences result, the act of seizing the steering wheel can be legally penalized."

My Anh