JINAN, Oct. 11 (Xinhua) -- The revised regulation concerning the management of driver's licenses has been hailed by most netizens and more suggestions have been offered since it was issued by the Ministry of Public Security on Monday.
The tougher regulation was issued right after the eight-day national holiday combining the Mid-Autumn Festival and the National Day holidays. Over the holiday period, 794 people were killed and more than 2,400 others injured in road accidents, according to statistics from the Ministry of Public Security.
Although figures showed there was a 46.4 percent drop in the death toll compared with the same period last year, the casualties highlighted the dangers on China's roads, with a sharp increase of private cars involved during the past decade.
Worries rose in the country with world's second highest number of cars in use and 2,000 more drivers hitting the road each year, prompting a series of revisions aiming to guide drivers in a positive way.
Under the revised regulation, failing to give way to school buses and ignoring traffic lights will result in six penalty points, up from three points in the previous edition, according to the Ministry of Public Security.
Drivers are required to report to the police, attend a seven-day training session and take a written exam if they receive 12 or more penalty points within one year.
The revised regulation also raises requirements for bus drivers by increasing the required number of training courses.
Drivers of large and medium-sized buses and trucks will be stripped of their drivers' licenses for life if found drunk driving, according to the regulation.
The regulation also requires an investigation of police who examine and issue licenses to drivers, if the drivers cause death in traffic accidents within three years after receiving a license.
"It is necessary to reinforce management of, and punishments for violators of traffic regulations, as it is linked to people's lives," wrote "Shengluehaohuanying" on Sina.com.
"The violators should be punished heavily. The regulation needed to be revised a long time ago," "Weifengshan" wrote on NetEase.com
According to statistics from the Ministry of Public Security, 70.9 percent of interviewees supported raising the amount of penalty points issued to drivers who ignore traffic lights. About 82.2 percent agreed with issuing heavy penalties to drivers who cover their license plates.
Suggestions on refining the regulation were also proposed by netizens.
"Countdown boards should be set up next to traffic lights to tell people when it is going to change, otherwise it is easily turned into a trap," wrote "Buzhidaogaiqigeshaminghao" on NetEase.com
Netizens also suggested installing more monitoring devices at crossroads to guarantee that no violation goes unnoticed. At the same time, appeals should be allowed to prevent drivers from being wrongly penalized.
The provisions regarding school bus drivers takes effect upon being issued, while the rest will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2013.
Road safety in China has been challenged by increasing numbers of drivers and road accident-related deaths. Official figures show that 62,387 people died in road accidents last year, marking a daily average of 170 deaths.
Increasing penalties have proved useful in regulating drivers behavior. Since drunken driving was made a crime in May last year, drunking driving cases have slumped 44.1 percent year-on-year across the country by April 20 of this year.
|
