Harsher traffic rules take effect

PKG

INTRO

Chinese drivers face harsher penalties after a revised regulation came into effect in the new year.

Despite the new rules, various violations occurred on Tuesday among drivers.

PKG

On the first day of the revised road rules, police say the most common violation is driving with seat belt unfastened.

SOUNDBITE (CHINESE) LI DONGYUAN, Nanning Police:

"Some drivers make phone calls, or don't fasten their seat belts. These are explicit violations."

Under the revision, ignoring traffic lights, including driving through yellow light, will result in six penalty points, double the previous punishment.

SOUNDBITE (CHINESE) MR HUANG, Nanchang citizen:

"Now I'm very cautious in driving. Running red light will lead to six penalty points. Twice will make me lose my license. Now I would rather wait one hour than rush one minute."

The penalty for improper display of license plates is now 12 points.

According to the new rules, 52 different kinds of violations can result in penalties, up from 38 under the previous regulation.

The new rules have been dubbed "the strictest traffic regulations ever" on the Internet.

In a poll on Sina.com, 67 percent of more than 1,000 participants support the revised rules.

SOUNDBITE (CHINESE) MISS JIN, Shanghai citizen:

"Harsher penalty will constrain a driver's behavior, and protect other drivers and pedestrians."

Each violation is associated with penalty points, based on how severe the offence is.

Getting a total of 12 points in a year, the driver is required to attend a seven-day training session and take a written exam before they can return to the roads.

Some drivers believe the new punishment is a bit too harsh.

Mr Liu is a novice driver in Nanchang, capital of eastern Jiangxi Province.

He is cautious every time when he drives.

But even so, he ran the red light five times last year.

SOUNDBITE (CHINESE) MR LIU, Nanchang citizen:

"Once I was driving after a bus. The bus was too high and blocked my view. Then I drove through the red light. The scene was captured by camera. Sometimes we'll drive to other cities where I'm not familiar with the roads. And we may rush through a red light if we are heading to hospital in an emergency. Considering such circumstances, the penalty seems cruel."

The new regulation also requires bus drivers to take more training.

Drivers of large and medium-sized buses and trucks will be stripped of their drivers' licenses for life if found drunk driving.

Meanwhile, police officers who issue licenses will be investigated if the driver causes death in traffic accidents within three years after receiving a license.

Many citizens say the new rules will guide drivers in a positive way.

But some suggest more flexibility in implementation, given the possibility of some unexpected conditions.

SOUNDBITE (CHINESE) MR YUAN, Nanchang citizen:

"Punishment is a means, not an end. Education should go first."

SOUNDBITE (CHINESE) MR FU, Nanchang citizen:

"Every driver must have the awareness of complying with traffic rules. Life is precious."

On the other hand, public say pedestrians must conform to road rules, as they often ignore red lights and cross roads.

The new regulation also lays emphasis on school buses' right of priority passage.

It says failure to give way to a school bus on the road will cost drivers six penalty points.

TO BE CONTINUED...

Forging number plates of school buses, or overloading them by more than 20 percent, will result in 12 penalty points.

SOUNDBITE (CHINESE) MR KANG, Shanghai citizen:

"It's very sad to see so many school bus accidents in the past several months. School buses, like ambulances, should have the priority of passage."

China has seen several deadly school bus accidents this year.

Last Monday, a minivan carrying 15 kindergarten students and one teacher plunged into a roadside pond in Jiangxi.

Eleven children died, and only four survived.

The accidents raised public concerns over school bus safety, prompting authorities to order a school transportation overhaul, especially in rural areas where safety rules are not usually well-enforced.

China now has the world's second highest number of cars in use.

Official figures show that more than 62,000 people died in road accidents in 2011, marking a daily average of 170 deaths.