Kids Salute Cars In China To Reduce Accidents, Learn Manners

Chinese children salute cars [Du Bin for The New York Times]

China may not be as isolated as it once was, but there are still cultural differences that set the country apart. To minimize traffic accidents near schools, for example, America created a system of school zones and built a few speed bumps. China, on the other hand, has ordered children to salute every passing car on their way to and from class -- which sounds cumbersome for both students and officials, but the government says there hasn't been an accident since the program began. And hey: if it teaches manners too, as officials hope, perhaps there's something the West can learn. [NYT via KickingTires]