Shanghai traffic authorities are starting to crack down on drivers who don't give way to pedestrians at intersections.
Pedestrians have long complained about the dangers of cars not slowing down at crossings, and the government is apparently listening. Authorities are hoping a new fine system will encourage drivers to slow down when people are crossing the roads.
READ MORE: Zebra Crossings Might Soon Become Much Safer in Shanghai
Just last year in the suburban district of Songjiang, for instance, police set up a camera at a crossing in Songjiang University Town that takes photos of every vehicle that passes by. This has allowed police to easily spot drivers who do not yield to pedestrians and issue fines.
Closer to the city center, police have managed to catch 381 drivers at the intersection of Gonghexin Lu and Yongxing Lu near Shanghai Railway Station in the last month alone.
Hi-res security camera footage from the Gonghexin/Yongxing Lu Intersection
More cameras are continuing to be installed at major intersections across the city.
Offenses not only lead to a find of RMB100, but three demerits will also get added to their driving license.
As That's Shanghai reported last week, the goal of the crackdown is to make it safer for pedestrians to legally cross the road. Similar measures have been introduced in Hangzhou and Harbin, where officials say enforcement is already pretty strict.
The law in Shanghai does state that pedestrians have the right of way, but as anyone who has walked around the city knows, vehicles frequently ignore the rule.
Hopefully these new regulations will make zebra crossings safer for everyone.
[Images via Shutterstock, Shanghai Daily]
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