The road to safety: Li Lifeng

Li Lifeng was thrilled when he drove his coach on the Xi'an-Hanzhong Expressway for the first time when it opened to traffic in 2007. The new road was smooth, straight, and when he accelerated both Li and his passengers felt safer and more relaxed.

Xi'an and Hanzhong are cities in Shaanxi province that sit on either side of the Qinling Mountains, a landmark range that provides a natural boundary between North and South China.

About 15 years ago, Li started shuttling between the two cities as a coach driver. Before the highway was built, he and his peers used a spiraling mountain road that featured hairpin bends and the ever-present danger of crashing.