Shenzhen launches jaywalking crackdown

Tens of thousands of pedestrians jaywalk regularly in the southern China city of Shenzhen, and on Thursday 3,000 people were caught for doing just that, as the first day of the city's campaign against jaywalking began.

More than 1,300 traffic policemen in Shenzhen were dispatched to popular roads and intersections to enforce the new jaywalking regulation. The effect was immediate and overwhelming as 1,973 jaywalkers were caught and fined, while another 1,027 people were able to avoid fines by wearing green vests indicating that they were temporary traffic coordinators.

Of the 1,973 jaywalkers who received fines, 1,894 were given a 20 yuan fine, and 71 received a 50 yuan for "taking the lead", while the remaining 8 were slapped with a 100 yuan fine due to their noncompliance with traffic management. Those who receive jaywalking fines have the option of either paying on the spot or at a designated bank within 15 days.

Any offensive reaction including profanity and violence by jaywalkers who are caught could lead to more serious consequences such as detention or even criminal punishment, warned Shenzhen traffic management authorities.