From last Friday, the Hangzhou city government began to encourage and regulate the car-pooling of its residents. The regulation of car-pooling will benefit not only the individuals but the society, writes an article on the website www.people.com.cn. The following is an excerpt:

During the financial crisis, more urban employees are considering car-pooling in order to cut living costs.

Car-pooling also relieves traffic congestion and diminishes greenhouse gas emissions. Totally unregulated car-pooling, however, also poses greater safety risks.

Hangzhou became the first city in China to regulate car-pooling. The regulation is a positive move, since it minimizes the potential risks of car-poolers, and makes car-pooling more effective.