Traffic violations dwindle under harsh rules

 BEIJING, Jan. 3 (Xinhua) -- The number of traffic violations² has plummeted³ since the "harshest-ever" traffic rules took effect on Jan. 1, 2013, the Ministry⁴ of Public Security announced on Thursday.

From Jan. 1 to 6 p.m. Jan. 3, police had found 2,157 cases of vehicles' ignoring traffic lights, a decrease of 66 percent year-on-year, 124 cases of drink driving, a year-on-year drop of 72 percent, and 7,822 cases of improper⁵ license⁶ plate display, decreased by 53 percent year-on-year.

A total of 1,204 traffic accidents involving deaths or injuries had occurred during the first three days of the new year, a year-on-year slump⁷ of 22 percent.

The ministry stated the decreases in traffic accidents and violations showed that newly-revised traffic rules had been effective in regulating driving behaviors and preventing road accidents.

Under the revision, ignoring traffic lights will result in six penalty points, doubling the previous punishment. The penalty for improper license plate display is now 12 points.

Each violation¹ is associated with penalty points, based on the severity of the offense⁸. If a driver receives 12 points in a year, he or she is required to attend a seven-day training session and take a written exam before getting back behind the wheel.

Moreover, 52 kinds of violations can result in penalties, up from 38 under the previous regulation.

The new rules were deemed the "harshest-ever" traffic rules by Internet users upon introduction, and also criticized as too harsh and teeming⁹ with design flaws.

The most complained rule is the penalty for ignoring yellow light, the light that signals before red light reminding drivers to prepare for a halt. Drivers complained they may not be able to respond swiftly as the light suddenly shifts from green to yellow. Previously¹⁰, only ignoring red light is deemed as violation.

The Ministry said such complaints are understandable, and promised to study the public suggestions and install proper traffic lights.

1 violation   

n.违反(行为)，违背(行为)，侵犯

参考例句：

• He roared that was a violation of the rules.他大声说，那是违反规则的。
• He was fined 200 dollars for violation of traffic regulation.他因违反交通规则被罚款200美元。

2 violations   

违反( violation的名词复数 )； 冒犯； 违反（行为、事例）； 强奸

参考例句：

• This is one of the commonest traffic violations. 这是常见的违反交通规则之例。
• These violations of the code must cease forthwith. 这些违犯法规的行为必须立即停止。

3 plummeted   

v.垂直落下，骤然跌落( plummet的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Share prices plummeted to an all-time low. 股票价格暴跌到历史最低点。
• A plane plummeted to earth. 一架飞机一头栽向地面。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

5 improper   

adj.不适当的，不合适的，不正确的，不合礼仪的

参考例句：

• Short trousers are improper at a dance.舞会上穿短裤不成体统。
• Laughing and joking are improper at a funeral.葬礼时大笑和开玩笑是不合适的。

6 license   

n.执照，许可证，特许；v.许可，特许

参考例句：

• The foreign guest has a license on the person.这个外国客人随身携带执照。
• The driver was arrested for having false license plates on his car.司机由于使用假车牌而被捕。

7 slump   

n.暴跌，意气消沉，（土地）下沉；vi.猛然掉落，坍塌，大幅度下跌

参考例句：

• She is in a slump in her career.她处在事业的低谷。
• Economists are forecasting a slump.经济学家们预言将发生经济衰退。

8 offense   

n.犯规，违法行为；冒犯，得罪

参考例句：

• I hope you will not take any offense at my words. 对我讲的话请别见怪。
• His words gave great offense to everybody present.他的发言冲犯了在场的所有人。

9 teeming   

adj.丰富的v.充满( teem的现在分词 )；到处都是；（指水、雨等）暴降；倾注

参考例句：

• The rain was teeming down. 大雨倾盆而下。
• the teeming streets of the city 熙熙攘攘的城市街道

10 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。