TRAFFIC police in Shenzhen have gained global fame for coming up with innovative ways to punish violators.

    Last August, jaywalkers in the city were required to pay a fine or wear a green hat and help direct traffic. The measure triggered controversy because in China, wearing a green hat symbolizes being a cuckold.

    More recently in November, police required violators who improperly used high-beam headlights to stare into the headlights for one minute. While the police argued that the measure was aimed at educating violators on the harms of improper use of headlights, others claimed that the measure itself was illegal because it was not spelled out in traffic laws and regulations.

    In response to different opinions from the general public, Feng Xinyi, vice director of the city’s traffic police bureau, told the Shenzhen Economic Daily that the bureau would continue to adopt bold reforms and innovative measures to enhance traffic efficiency and safety.

    The city now counts 3.23 million vehicles on its roads, which is the third-largest number in China. Vehicle density, at 510 vehicles per kilometer, is the highest in the country. The huge number of vehicles presents a large challenge for the traffic administration, Feng said.

    Some drivers have complained that tidal lanes, HOV lanes, an experimental two-tiered traffic light system, and other new measures have created extra burdens for drivers, who face fines much higher than drivers in other cities.

    Feng regards innovation and inclusiveness as essential to Shenzhen Special Economic Zone not only in economic development, but also in traffic management. The Traffic Administration Bureau under the Ministry of Public Security has highly praised the innovative management of the Shenzhen traffic police, Feng said.

    Shenzhen is developing very fast and is encountering many problems in urban management, as a result, innovation is needed to tackle problems arising in the city’s development, Feng added.

    Some netizens criticized the new measures, saying they were aimed at raising revenues for the bureau. However, Feng argued that heavy fines are essential to reduce traffic violations and accidents, and police have also exempted pedestrians and non-motor-vehicle drivers from punishment for first-time violations.

    The traffic police have welcomed drivers to take tests on the bureau’s app, WeChat account and Alipay to get some penalty points from the driver’s licenses waived if they pass.

    Xu Wei, head of the city’s traffic police bureau, has said that the bureau will evaluate new measures before they are introduced and make adjustments after they are implemented if a review finds them necessary.  (Lin Min)