January 1st was not only the start of a new year in China. It was also the start of new traffic laws.
Starting on Tuesday, drivers must stop on yellow lights, like they do for red. It’s meant to improve safety on Chinese roads. But some say the sudden change will do the opposite.
[Li Heping, Beijing Lawyer]:
“We feel that it’s a problem that there’s no transition zone. For example, a car has inertia during movement. It needs a process to slow down and respond. Many citizens say that this new rule is against Newton’s first law of motion.”
Netizens have criticized the change. One Weibo user said he ran into the back of another car when it stopped abruptly for a yellow light.
Penalty points for running a red light have also doubled. It’s now six points, not three, based on a 12 point scale.
Some citizens think the new laws may not just be for safety. One former police officer says while China has some of the strictest laws and the highest fines in the world, its roads are not safer.
[Mr. Wu, Former Police Officer]:
“So I think this rule is totally for the purpose of getting more fines. Since China has less and less ways of fiscal levy, it wants to get more fines through increasing punishment.”
According to state-run media, the number of violations a driver can be fined for has risen from 38 to 52 under the new regulations.
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Post time: Feb-13-2017