Beijing's traffic monitors have decided to strictly go by the rulebook and severely punish drunk drivers for the duration of the soccer World Cup. Anyone found driving under the influence of alcohol will be detained for 15 days, pay fines and stripped of his or her driver's license.

The latest effort is a precautionary measure anticipating a rise in alcohol consumption during the games. If the punishment can deter drunken driving now, then the campaign has to be definitely extended beyond the duration of the games.

Driving drunk is no doubt dangerous, but there has been little sign that a recent nationwide campaign against the habit has worked.

Accidents associated with alcohol abuse have been far too many despite the high profile initiative. Just a few days back, a drunk driver evading an alcohol test flag-down fatally injured a police officer in Beijing. The officer is still in a comatose state.

The crusade against drunken driving has been high pitched and those who drive under the influence are certainly aware of the potential hazard of getting caught.

That many have chosen to try their luck - after all, one has a 50-percent chance of slipping through - means the punishment has not been an effective deterrent.

The only way to cope with such opportunism is to up the ante, and net every drunken fish.

(China Daily 06/14/2010 page4)