Enforcing traffic laws improves road safety

Over the last few years, China has made great strides in improving road safety, and the NPC and CPPCC sessions can provide the perfect opportunity for discussions to further improve the enforcement of national road safety standards.

I know that many people who have visited China only recently will think the first half of the statement above is a joke. If I had visited the country for the first time this year, I would probably also think its roads were a nightmare to navigate.

My first visit to China was about 10 years ago, when the roads of Beijing were complete chaos. There were few pedestrian signals. Five lanes of cars drove on streets painted for three lanes. Traffic signals were ignored, and pedestrians gambled with their lives by dodging cars as they crossed the street.