Society

China mulls harsher penalties on drunk driving

By Yan Weijue (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2011-04-19 11:24

Drunk drivers will have their license revoked for five years under a draft proposal amendment being considered to China's traffic safety law, sources told Legal Evening News Tuesday.

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The revision has been submitted to the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislative body, for a reading on Wednesday.

The revision is designed to better accord with China's newly revised Criminal Law, which rules dangerous driving behavior, such as drunk and reckless driving, will receive severe punishments.

Under the current law, drunk drivers are given a 15-day detention and temporary suspension of their driving license for three months to six months as well as a fine ranging from 200 yuan ($30) to 500 yuan. Two violations in one year will lead to a driving license being revoked.

According to the draft amendment, drunk drivers will have their license revoked once caught. They can not apply for a new one within five years. Fines will also be increased four-fold, with 1,000 yuan as the minimum penalty.

Moreover, if the drunk driving results in a serious traffic accident, the driver will be banned from driving for life aside from regular punishments.

Based on China's traffic law, drivers whose alcohol content in every 100 milliliters of blood is between 20 mg and 80 mg are deemed as drink driving. Those exceeding 80 mg are considered drunk driving.