Get tough to protect pedestrians police told

The Ministry of Public Security is directing police departments nationwide to strengthen their enforcement efforts - including handing out tougher punishments - for motorists who do not give way to pedestrians.

In the past three years, 3,898 people have been killed in 14,000 crosswalk incidents in China, 90 percent of which involved motorists failing to yield to pedestrians, according to the ministry's Traffic Management Bureau.

Traffic police should step up patrols and strengthen monitoring through use of surveillance cameras on streets, the bureau said.

For a safer environment for pedestrians, traffic bureaus nationwide should provide improved traffic signs, install more traffic lights, and build more underground walkways and pedestrian bridges, the ministry said.

On Thursday, Beijing traffic police began enforcing a 200-yuan ($30) fine for motorists who fail to give way to pedestrians on crosswalks.

A violation will also result in three demerit points on an offender's driver's license. Currently, if a motorist accumulates 12 demerit points in one year, he or she is disqualified from driving.

The directive enforcement came days after surveillance camera footage went viral showing a woman in Henan province being hit by a taxi while on a crosswalk. While lying on the street she was run over by a second car, and later died.

Xinhua