Jaywalking campaign begins
21/5/2005 9:15
Shanghai Daily news Traffic police in the city have
decided it is time to get serious about jaywalking, so they will start to hand
out stiff fines to pedestrians caught breaking traffic rules.
Last May, the
city increased fines for jaywalking to 50 yuan (US$6) from 5 yuan, but few
officers have handed out tickets for the infraction as many said jaywalking was
too common in the city to fine all violators.
Police also said yesterday that
violators who refuse to pay the fine or physically abuse an officer will face
criminal charges, as a growing number of traffic police are being abused on the
job.
Police say jaywalkers and cyclists who break traffic rules are clogging
city streets and leading to accidents, so they will launch a five-month campaign
against infractions committed by bicycle riders and pedestrians.
Police won't
begin giving out fines until the end of this month, so they have a few weeks to
warn pedestrians and cyclists before the campaign kicks off, officials
said.
Starting next month, extra police officers and assistants will hit
local streets to take part in the campaign.
Hundreds of digital recorders
have been distributed to traffic police officers to ensure everyone on duty can
tape record conversations with those they fine as evidence in case of any
dispute.
Police will invite some local residents and members of the media to
observe the situation at major crossroads in August to evaluate how well the
program has improved traffic conditions.
Police say that they would like to
see 90 percent of pedestrians and 95 percent of cyclists following traffic rules
by the time the campaign has concluded.
"At some busy crossroads, the
efficiency of traffic is reduced by half because of frequent jaywalking and
cyclists who illegally use car lanes," said Chen Wugao, vice director of the
General Team of Traffic Police yesterday.
Police said they fined 2.49 million
pedestrians and cyclists last year for traffic infractions.
Traffic
violations resulted in 382 deaths last year, accounting for one-quarter of all
people killed on city streets last year.
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