Campaign by ministry will place more officers at key intersections

The Ministry of Public Security initiated a campaign this month to curb the problem of vehicles failing to give way to pedestrians in crosswalks.

The action will last until the end of this year, the ministry’s traffic management bureau said on Wednesday.

“Vehicles allowing pedestrians to go first is not only a matter of compliance with traffic rules and regulations but an important symbol of city civilization,” the bureau said in a statement.

The ministry intends to create “a safe, orderly, civilized and unobstructed traffic environment” before the opening of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China later this year.

In recent years, a large number of crosswalk incidents — including 3,898 pedestrian fatalities — occurred across the country, arousing attention at home and abroad.

Ministry data show that from June 2014 to last month, there were 14,000 incidents in which vehicles struck pedestrians in crosswalks nationwide. Of those, 90 percent were blamed on vehicles violating traffic regulations.

“Local traffic control police should take the existing problems in crosswalk management seriously, and take a zero-tolerance attitude in investigating any illegal behavior involving vehicles,” the statement from the traffic bureau said.

The ministry said that during the initiative, public security departments will send

Vehicles allowing pedestrians to go first is ... an important symbol of city civilization.” Ministry of Public Security

more police officers and auxiliarypolicetopatrolthestreets, especially places with a large flow of people and crosswalks thatarenotgovernedbytraffic lights. Police officers will strengthen their efforts at key intersections, it said.

The police will use a variety of tools for enforcement, including different kinds of recording devices. In addition, officers will coordinate with each other to flag down violators, according to the ministry, which said the effort is intended