The Shanghai legislature yesterday approved a new road and traffic management law that seeks to make city roads safer for drivers and passengers, especially young ones.
Among the approved amendments are two designed specifically to promote child safety. One bans children under 12 from riding in the front seat of cars and the other requires children under 4 to be seated in regulation safety seats.
Other amendments target mobile phone use, speeding, lane changing, lack of seat belts and overloading.
Offenders face fines of up to RMB200 as well as demerit points on their licenses. Those who accumulate 12 demerits in one year are required to take a 7-day training course and retake a driving test or face a revocation of their license.
The legislature took community opinion into account before drafting the law, reports Ding Wei, a deputy director with the legislative affairs commission of the Shanghai People’s Congress. He says the congress received 132 suggestions via letters, faxes and e-mails.
The law takes effect March 25th.
[Image via Shanghai Daily]
