Enforcement needed

Strict enforcement and more specific measures are needed so the new regulations can be carried out effectively, experts said.

"The regulation should be made more specific so it only targets purposeful offenders," said Chen from the Beijing University of Technology.

"Some drivers may resist paying fines if they are caught accidentally violating the rules, as sometimes happens when traffic signals are blocked by trees or a dense fog."

A shortage of police also makes it difficult to enforce traffic laws in many big cities, she said.

"Cameras can identify some violations, such as speeding and running red lights," said Zeng Wenliang, a traffic policeman in Kunming, capital of Yunnan province. "But we will still be required to be on duty at busy crossings, since the system can't detect certain offences such as drunken driving."

Zeng said cameras have been installed on many roads in Kunming, but traffic violations remain common in the city and police are still sent out to direct traffic.

They sometimes face obstacles to enforcing traffic regulations and even threats from offenders, he said.

"We normally don't issue fines for minor violations," Zeng said. "But offenders can sometimes be very aggressive."

Ma Huikun, another traffic policeman in Kunming, said the city's transport authority has gone to TV stations, newspapers and the Internet in the past several months to ensure the public is aware of the regulation. Even so, he expects to see the number of violations increase quickly in the first several months after the stricter regulation takes effect.

"Old habits don't die easily", he said.

"I think we will face some difficulties in enforcing the regulations."

Rather than stricter punishments, Chen called for instruction as the best way to improve driving behavior.

"Many schools in China don't pay enough attention to driving instruction," she said. "Most drivers actually begin to receive intensive instruction on traffic regulations at driver-training schools, and that's too late."

Wang Limei, deputy director of the China Road Transport Association, also said instruction offers the best means of battling traffic violations.

"Rather than punitive measures, I think we should adopt something that's more flexible," she said. "For example, those with minor violations should be able to be cleared of fines so long as they agree to undergo a specific period of training or instruction."

Not only cars

Compared with drivers, pedestrians are far more likely to cross roads in disregard of red lights.

In October, a Web user went to Sina Weibo, a popular micro-blogging service, to post photos of large groups of pedestrians crossing roads while red lights were showing. Alongside the images, he posted a comment about the "Chinese style of crossing the road", implying that people are perfectly comfortable disobeying traffic regulations so long as they do so in large groups.

The post prompted much discussion on the Internet.

Various experts said many Chinese people tend to blindly follow others' lead and noted traditional beliefs hold that the law will not punish a large group, even if it is in the wrong.

Chen from the Beijing University of Technology said ignoring traffic rules not only puts pedestrians and other non-motorists at risk but also contributes to traffic congestion.

"Vehicles have to slow down or stop near a crossing when pedestrians don't obey the lights when they cross the road," she said. "That disrupts traffic flow and leads to accidents that block traffic."

Jaywalkers can receive a warning or be fined up to 50 yuan ($7.9) for crossing roads in defiance of red lights, according to the Road Traffic Safety Law in China.

But the law is rarely enforced.

Wang from the China Road Transport Association said law enforcement measures targeting non-drivers were in place for a short time years ago in Beijing, but soon those measures were abandoned.

"The shortage of law enforcement staff is a big problem," she said.

With so many jaywalkers and a small number of police officers to catch them, it has proved extremely difficult to make sure that violators get the punishments they deserve, she said.

Jiang Jing, an official at the Beijing Public Security Bureau, said jaywalking still occurs in many places in China, and "it's impossible for traffic police to punish every violator".

"Some walkers and cyclists are a little too bold and don't even turn their heads to see if a car is coming at them," said Jiao Liang, a white-collar worker in Hefei, Anhui province, who drives to work every day.

"I have to be more cautious so I don't run them over."

Liu Fuli, an expert in traffic congestion, said drivers often come in for tough punishment under traffic rules, even if they are in accidents that were caused by pedestrians. Knowing that they are favored has made walkers in some cases to be more likely to commit violations, he said.

Traffic police have recognized this tendency and have started to adjust their methods accordingly.

In Shenzhen, Guangdong province, the penalty for crossing a road during a red light has gone up from 20 yuan to 100 yuan for each violation. And in Shijiazhuang, Hebei province, jaywalkers from the start of October had to pay up to 50 yuan for violations, media reported.

Some experts said better traffic planning could help to reduce the number of violations.

"Roads in many big cities are designed with motorists in mind, and pedestrians' needs are ignored," Chen said. "Roads are becoming wider, forcing pedestrians to cross them more quickly. Traffic signals can be improved so pedestrians won't have to wait at red lights longer than drivers."

Guo Anfei in Kunming and Zhao Lei in Beijing contributed to this story.