Tough rule ensures traffic safety

"Traffic violations are quite common," said a marketing manager at an IT company in Beijing who would only provide her surname, Liang.

Liang has held a driving license for 10 years and drives to work every day.

"Traffic rules still don't seem to be followed very well, especially if you compare what's happening here with what you see in cities in certain other countries, such as the United States," said Liang, who often takes international business trips.

Liang also admitted that she had run red and yellow lights on several occasions.

"Sometimes when I've been hurrying to get to a place, I've sped up to get through a yellow light," Liang said.

"I know that's against the rules, but traffic in Beijing is so bad, I sometimes can't afford to wait."

Liang said she had also run red lights for no reason, either because she was "distracted" or because a larger vehicle in front of her had obstructed her vision. Fortunately, she said, the police have never noticed those last-minute bolts.

Despite her minor transgressions, Liang said she is in favor of the new regulation.

"I think the punishments imposed on violators of traffic rules should be heavier," she said. "Otherwise, people will simply ignore the rules."

Enforcement needed

Strict enforcement and more specific measures are needed so the new regulations can be carried out effectively, experts said.

"The regulation should be made more specific so it only targets purposeful offenders," said Chen from the Beijing University of Technology.

"Some drivers may resist paying fines if they are caught accidentally violating the rules, as sometimes happens when traffic signals are blocked by trees or a dense fog."

A shortage of police also makes it difficult to enforce traffic laws in many big cities, she said.

"Cameras can identify some violations, such as speeding and running red lights," said Zeng Wenliang, a traffic policeman in Kunming, capital of Yunnan province. "But we will still be required to be on duty at busy crossings, since the system can't detect certain offences such as drunken driving."