Part 2/8:
The conversation surrounding the crash emphasized how this year’s travel dynamics deviated markedly from prior years. Traditionally, individuals returning to cities after the Chinese New Year would do so around the sixth or seventh day of the holiday, but some began their journey back on the first day. Observations noted that many workers from the Pearl River Delta were heading back to urban centers, driven by the desire to avoid peak travel rushes or the pressing need to return to work due to economic pressures. A TikTok user humorously remarked on the irony of many "smart" individuals leaving early, only to find the highways congested with others who had done the same.