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Driving regulations proposed

Wang Qian and Zhang Yan
Updated: Dec 17,2014 9:26 AM     China Daily

Military vehicles involved in hit-and-run accidents will have to report to military authorities, according to new draft regulations.

The proposed amendments were published on Dec 15 on the website of the Legislative Affairs Office of the State Council, pending public consultation that runs until Jan 20.

The draft by the Ministry of Public Security elaborates procedures to deal with road accidents and specifies for the first time that drivers suspected of being under the influence of drugs or alcohol will be required to give urine samples.

Fan Li, deputy director of the China Road Transport Association, said the draft targets new trends in road accidents.

“In the past, military vehicles were given privileges on the road, but the new draft said that if these cars are involved in hit-and-run accidents, they will be reported to the People’s Liberation Army or Chinese Armed Police Force,” Fan said.

The draft also says that accidents involving drivers suspected of being under the influence of drugs or alcohol should be reported to police immediately.

Liu Yuejin, director of the narcotics control bureau of the Ministry of Public Security, said the increasing number of drivers under the influence of drugs or alcohol poses a new threat to road safety across the country.

From Oct 1 to Nov 15, police across the country found about 510 drivers under the influence of drugs or alcohol, according to the latest statistics from the ministry.

“Drugs can impair perception and judgment, which can make drivers lose control of their behavior and cause severe accidents,” Liu said.

He added that public security authorities are discussing a proposed amendment to China’s Criminal Law that drivers under the influence will be held criminally accountable.

The draft classified road accidents into three categories - accidents with economic losses, injuries and deaths - and proposes that accidents with economic losses can be solved by negotiation between concerned drivers.

It said a unified national system will be used to record road accidents across the country.

The public can go to www.chinalaw.gov.cn to download the draft and login to the website’s public consultation system to provide suggestions, or send an e-mail to sgclcxgd@126.com.

Last year, the country had more than 250 million vehicles and nearly 280 million drivers, according to the Traffic Administration under the Ministry of Public Security.