SUNDAY saw a harsh new round of traffic checks launched in the city. Hundreds of traffic police officers have been dispatched to monitor the city’s roads.

    Drunk driving, illegal parking, speeding, unlicensed driving, covering the license plates and five other violations will be strictly punished. Drivers who illegally park on 28 designated roads, for example, are subject to a 500-yuan (US$80) fine.

    To strengthen the enforcement, unmarked police vehicles are also patrolling trunk roads and expressways. High-definition cameras and visual recognition setups were installed in such cars to trace speeders.

    Shenzhen’s traffic condition has worsened after the numbers of cars kept surging in recent years. This year is expected to see 500,000 new vehicles hitting the roads, bringing the total number of Shenzhen-registered vehicles to 3 million. The 4-month-long campaign aims to reduce road jams.

    Citizens are encouraged to report traffic violations by calling 8333-3333 or by leaving a message on the Shenzhen Traffic Police’s Weibo and WeChat accounts.(Tan Yifan)