Han Ximin

    ximhan@126.com

    A 37-PERCENT drop in road accidents at 40 lanes enforcing a new merging rule has prompted traffic police to expand the rule citywide from yesterday.

    The rule requires vehicles to alternate right-of-way when merging lanes, first giving priority to the vehicle in the right lane.

    Traffic police will give a two-week grace period until the end of the year, only giving drivers verbal warnings for violating the new rule.

    Starting Jan. 1, violators will be fined 300 yuan (US$46.15) each time and the fine will be increased to 500 yuan after the third violation in a year, traffic police said.

    The rule will also be applied in business parking lots. Companies are required to install yield signs at entrances and exits. Companies which fail to install yield signs in business parking lots will be each fined 2,000 yuan.

    The first signs were installed in the parking lot of OCT Bay. “The parking lot … is often jammed and crowded,” said Liu Qingqing, a security guard at OCT Bay parking lot, saying weekends and holidays are particularly bad.

    Ding Yanbing, a traffic police officer, hopes residents will recommend other locations where the rule should be implemented.

    Statistics show that most drivers followed the rules at the 40 pilot locations and the hourly vehicle flow during rush hours had increased by 1.3 percent.

    Drivers who don’t yield and cause accidents will be held fully responsible for accidents. The traffic police authority will use an automatic monitoring system to capture violations.

    Residents are encouraged to call 8333-3333 to report violations and whistle-blowers will be rewarded 100 yuan for each verified report on violations and the monthly reward is capped at 500 yuan.