China reports fewer traffic violations, road accidents

 　　BEIJING, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) -- China reported a dramatic decline of traffic violations¹ and road accidents in January, with deaths from running traffic lights and overspeeding falling.

　　The death toll² from running traffic lights and overspeeding fell 13.3 percent and 71.2 percent respectively year on year, according to data from the Traffic Management Bureau under the Ministry³ of Public Security (MPS).

　　The ministry reported that there were about 1.37 million cases of ignoring traffic lights in January, marking a 40 percent year on year drop.

　　There were 285,000 cases where cars were overspeeding by at least 50 percent, representing a 32.5 percent year on year fall. There were 14,000 cases of improper⁴ use of license⁵ plates during the month, which was a 71.5 percent drop compared with the same period last year.

　　Running red lights, overspeeding and improper license plate display were largely to blame for road accidents.

　　The number of violations dropped due to revised traffic rules, which came into force on Jan. 1, according to the ministry.

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

　　According to China's current regulations on driving licenses⁶, if a driver's penalty points add up to 12 or more within 12 months, he or she is required to attend a seven-day training session and take a written exam before getting back behind the wheel.

　　The new rules were deemed the "harshest-ever" by Internet users upon introduction and also criticized as too harsh.

　　"The Ministry of Public Security has urged training institutions to adjust their exam-oriented program and focus more on practicality during teaching," said Li Jiangping, deputy head of the ministry's Traffic Management Bureau.

　　The number of people licensed⁷ to drive cars in China exceeded 200 million as of the end of 2012, an increase of 26.47 million year on year, according to the MPS.

1 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。

2 toll   

n.过路(桥)费；损失，伤亡人数；v.敲(钟)

参考例句：

• The hailstone took a heavy toll of the crops in our village last night.昨晚那场冰雹损坏了我们村的庄稼。
• The war took a heavy toll of human life.这次战争夺去了许多人的生命。

3 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。

4 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。

5 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。

6 licenses   

n.执照( license的名词复数 )v.批准，许可，颁发执照( license的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Drivers have ten days' grace to renew their licenses. 驾驶员更换执照有10天的宽限期。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Jewish firms couldn't get import or export licenses or raw materials. 犹太人的企业得不到进出口许可证或原料。 来自辞典例句

7 licensed   

adj.得到许可的v.许可，颁发执照(license的过去式和过去分词)

参考例句：

• The new drug has not yet been licensed in the US. 这种新药尚未在美国获得许可。
• Is that gun licensed? 那支枪有持枪执照吗？