Overloaded vehicles to be halted on roads

BEIJING - Responding to a series of severe traffic crashes that have occurred in less than a month, China's transportation authority ordered local departments on Sunday to make thoroughgoing safety improvements.

At an emergency meeting, Li Shenglin, minister of transport, said that local authorities should place a priority on safety and on ensuring that safe means of transport are available to the public.

The meeting was held in response to a series of road accidents that took place in July. Feng Zhenglin, vice-minister of transport, said at the meeting that nine serious traffic accidents had occurred in less than a month, killing 110 people and injuring 180 others.