Driving school given bloody nose in compensation case

A driving school has been ordered to pay a student nearly 50,000 yuan (US$7,250) by the Pudong New Area People's Court after an instructor crashed into a car during a lesson, injuring the student, the court said on Monday.

Tang signed a contract with the driving school to be its student on May 10, 2017. On July 25, when Tang was taking a lesson in a car driven by his instructor Guo, the car collided with another and Tang was injured.

Traffic police thought Guo and the other driver were equally at fault. 

At hospital, Tang was treated for nasal fractures and injuries on teeth.

The driving school only paid Tang 5,000 yuan compensation after the two sides failed to reach an agreement on the total amount. In court, Tang demanded more than 60,000 yuan.

The school claimed that the other driver should also take responsibility and Tang should turn to him for the rest of compensation.

The court ruled that as a professional training institution, the driving school should protect its students and take responsibility under the contract. As far as the third party is concerned, any dispute is between driving school and the other driver, but it has nothing to do with the contract between the school and Tang.

Since Tang's losses caused by the accident were over 53,000 yuan, deducting the 5,000 yuan the school already paid, the court ruled it should pay a further 48,000 yuan.