Beijing and other Chinese cities should take extreme punitive measures against rash drivers and habitual traffic rule violators. Official figures show that more than 100,000 people die in road accidents in China every year. And I suspect rash driving is responsible for many of the deaths.

I have visited many countries but not seen drivers as bad as those seen in China. Quite a few of them do not seem to have any knowledge of the basic rules of safe driving.

Some of the common violations of traffic rules seen in Beijing are people driving vehicles without switching on their headlights and indicators at night, drivers overtaking other vehicles at crossings or double lines, and drivers cutting across the left lane to overtake vehicles in front.

But jumping red lights is by far the most common violation. Stand at any traffic crossing in Beijing and chances are you'll see at least a couple of drivers ignoring the red light.

Michel Picard, via e-mail

Readers' comments are welcome. Please send your e-mail to opinion@chinadaily.com.cn or letters@chinadaily.com.cn or to the individual columnists. China Daily reserves the right to edit all letters. Thank you.

(China Daily 03/09/2011 page10)