Strict government policies have been introduced across China to deter drunk drivers and the effect is already being seen.
A Chinese party Image: Jakob Montrasio |
Any driver caught with a blood-alcohol content of over 80 milligrams now faces up to six months in prison and a five-year driving ban. The government hopes the stern policies will reduce the amount of road traffic injuries, which rose 36% in 2010 to 3.9 million, or one death every 9 minutes, according to the Ministry of Public Security.
Though severe, the policy has caused the number of drunk drivers to fall by 81% in May in Beijing alone. Last year, police caught 526,000 inebriated drivers, up 68% from 2009 and since the policy was implemented there have already been several high profile cases including Gao Xiaosong, a popular 'China's Got Talent' TV host.
China's car pool is expected to hit 150 million by 2015, while the market for alcohol is set to expand by 36% to 53 million litres in the same period.
The new policy is good news, however, for chauffeur companies like Beijing based Ben Ao An Da Automobile Driving Service Co., who are expecting a 60% boost in profits this year as a result of the policy. The company has a pool of 160 drivers and already has a high profile client list.
Drinking is a traditional part of Chinese culture, and imbibing glass after glass of “Baijiu”, a fiery sorghum based alcohol, while toasting business associates is a common corporate custom.