China orders crackdowns on drunk driving

BEIJING - China's Ministry of Public Security (MPS) on Monday ordered stricter inspection on drunk driving after a number of deadly accidents were reported on the eve and after the lunar new year.

More than 800 cases of driving under the influence of alcohol were reported from January 30 to February 2, of which more than 90 were drunk driving cases, the ministry said in a statement.

One passenger was killed and another three severely injured after their van was hit by a passenger car in south China's Hainan Province on Monday. The passenger car driver was found drunk driving, police investigation show.

On January 30, a driver surnamed Liu was found drunk driving after his car claimed four people's lives and injured another three on a rural road in east China's Shandong Province.

The MPS has required police to focus their attention on rural roads and rural-urban fringe zones as well as family gatherings in the countryside, while watching out for drunk drivers in urban area.

The Lunar New Year, or Spring Festival, is the annual peak season of cases of driving under the influence of alcohol.

China amended the Criminal Law to criminalize drunk driving in 2011. The amended law stipulates that all drunk driving constitutes a criminal offence, even if no road accidents or other serious consequences occur.