Holiday accident rate plummets

Source: Xinhua  |   2009-2-5  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

THERE were 1,653 road accidents in China during the Lunar New Year holiday from January 25 to 31, a reduction of 57.6 percent year-on-year, the Ministry of Public Security announced yesterday.

The accidents resulted in 724 fatalities, a drop of 37.3 percent year-on-year.

A spokesman for the ministry said following the country's intensified efforts to regulate the road transport system, road accidents decreased considerably.

Statistics from the ministry show that accidents involving overloaded passenger buses during the New Year holiday travel rush dropped by 88 percent. The exact figure was not given.

During traffic peak seasons in China, many drivers and bus companies violate regulations and take more passengers than allowed to earn more money. And passengers eager to get home are willing to squeeze themselves into already full buses.

In January, 18,000 road accidents occurred, killing 5,700 people, respectively 18 percent and 4 percent less year-on-year.

A ministry official with the traffic management bureau warned that between February 10 and 20, returning migrant workers and college students will put more pressure on traffic.