The number of drunk-driving cases in China have plummeted since the amended Criminal Law, which criminalized driving under the influence, took effect on May 1.

The amended law stipulates that all drunk driving incidents are considered criminal offenses, whereas the previous law imposed criminal penalties on drunk drivers only when they caused serious traffic accidents.

Since the law has been enforced, only five drivers convicted of drunk driving were exempted from criminal penalties, Yangtze Evening News reports.

According to court judgments, each of the five cases were considered relatively less harmful to society. Most cases occurred during the night time, when fewer pedestrians were on the streets, and the drivers expressed genuine regret towards their behavior.

Statistics from the Ministry of Public Security earlier this month reveal that during the first four months after the amended Criminal Law was enforced, the number of drunk driving cases in China plummeted by 45.4 percent compared with the same period last year. Deaths caused by drunk driving have also dropped by 29.3 percent.

(CRIENGLISH.com September 28, 2011)