The Criminal Punishment for Drunk Driving
The Criminal Punishment for Drunk Driving (醉驾入刑 Pinyin : Zuì Jià Rù Xíng ) refers to the tightened traffic rules passed in China to curb irresponsible driving habits in May, 2011. Drunk drivers are those who have over 80 milligrams alcohol per 100 millimeters of blood in their bodies, roughly equivalent to one or two glasses of beer. Under the law, they will be considered criminals, facing imprisonment and revocation of driver’s licenses for at least five years, even without causing an accident.
Previously, drunk driving was a minor offense in which the driver might be detained for 15 days and have their licenses revoked for three to six months. However, with the dramatic increase of vehicles on road, and a spate of serious traffic accidents caused by drunk driving, the country tightened its rules to avoid unnecessary tragedies.
After the new law was enacted and took effect on May 1, a number of violators, including the famous musician Gao Xiaosong, were caught by the police and received punishment. Gao was sentenced to jail for six months for reckless and irresponsible driving, which caused four cars to rear end each other.
